visual stress & colourimetry

Visual Stress is said to affect 20% of the population – 13 million people in UK. It is not the same as dyslexia but it affects about 40% of dyslexics. It is also known as Irlen Syndrome and Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome. 

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Some symptoms of Visual Stress

  • Blurred letters or words which go out of focus.
  • Letters which appear to move and shake
  • Headaches/Migraines from reading.
  • Words or letters which break into two and appear as double.
  • White rivers running vertically or diagonally breaking up text.
  • Difficulty with tracking across the page, including leaving out or adding words
  • Upset by glare on the page or over-sensitive to bright lights.
  • Rereading in order to process effectively

At Houghton Opticians we have been offering a Visual Stress (Irlen Syndrome) & Colourimetry Assessment Service for over 30 years.


Before attending our service a fully comprehensive eye examination and eye health check would be conducted by ourselves and if a prescription is needed this will be given. We will accept recent eye tests from other opticians. However if your child has not had an eye test within the last year and you are interested in our coloured lenses it would be better to have their eyes tested with us.


People with reading difficulties sometimes have a weakness in eye co-ordination or focusing so we would treat this with eye exercises or an optical prescription.


The initial 1 hour assessment consists of firstly the Wilkins Rate of Reading test to establish what is happening when reading including diagnosis of symptoms and to give the starting rate of reading before any coloured overlays are used. We also use Pattern glare tests to look for the level and symptoms of glare. A number of  thorough tests from the Irlen Syndrome method are conducted and then a coloured overlay screening takes place. 


If a colour is found to help, we work with lenses  to find the exact hue and shade which calms the symptoms. This colour can then be used to make up precision tinted lenses in which any optical prescription can also be added.


A comprehensive report is provided for information and can be forwarded to schools or workplaces with numerous examples of adjustments that can be made for the individual at home, work or in school.


Our costs:

£100 for the initial 1 hour assessment and report

£50 colourimetry assessment and prescription of lenses

£80 for extended colourimetry; a check of symptoms, colour overlay screening and colourimetry for a colour prescription. This is offered if you have a previous diagnosis

£130 for the precision tinted lenses from Cerium Visual Technologies


Please contact us today on Chester 01244 325969 or Bromborough 0151 334 2805 for more information about these services.