Overlays Help!

Scotopic Syndrome also, referred to as Irlen Syndrome, is a phenomenon common among people with dyslexia.I do not personally experienced this; however my second oldest child was in school we found overlays to be extremely helpful. Light blue is commonly the best color for the majority of people, but for some it is not. For my husband dark blue is preferrable, green is the ideal color for one of my sons and my youngest son has all of his electronic devices with black being the background and white writing.  I have had a student that preferred pink and another one that preferred orange.  When I do the placement appointments with our new students, we assess what is the ideal color, if any for the learner.  If older learners are uncomfortable placing overlays on top of their books or computer, another option is special glasses with colored lenses. The use of overlays or colored lenses contributes to increased Self-Esteem  and increases independence.

Overlays can help so many people in so many different situations, such as:

• Words moving on the page
• Focusing when reading
• Tired eyes
• Relax tense readers head, neck and shoulders
• Reading Speed
• Improved Comprehension
• Following the Lines
• Correcting Word and Letter Reversals
• Clearer Visions
• Reading for Extended Periods of Time

Here are some good questions to ask, which are helpful when determining if overlays might benefit you or your child before giving them a try:

• Do the letters ever appear to move around?
• Do you get headaches when you read?
• Are the words moving or shaking when you look at them?
• Do you easily forget what you read?
• When you read, do you get tired quickly?
• Do you skip lines sometimes?
• Do you feel sick to your stomach sometimes, when you read?
• Do you read very slowly compared to other people?

An interactive page that will allow you to try out different color overlays and fonts to determine which are most helpful.

One student thoughts regarding overlays:
“Overlays help me concentrate more and focus on one word at a time.” –Anthony, Orange County.