Irlen Clinic Ballarat - Help for reading and visual processing difficulties

26/10/2026

Thanks so much Irlen Clinic Newcastle and the wonderful clients who have commented!

😎Do you wear Irlen Lenses?
😊Have they changed you life?
❓Have they improved your reading, concentration or study?
🤔Have they reduced your headaches and migraines?

Or do you have a question and want to know how they might help you or your child?

Drop us a comment below ⬇️

24/10/2026

Thanks Itlen Clinic Newcastle.

It looks like dyslexia.
It sounds like dyslexia.
But is it actually dyslexia?
What's the cause?

If you or your child get letters and sounds mixed up, lose your place, add in or take out words or have trouble focussing on the page,
AND
You notice the words move, change, letters swap places, words switch around and the white is distracing,
Chances are it's actually Irlen Syndrome.
Take the self-test today.

23/10/2026

Thanks Irlen Clinic Newcastle.

26/09/2026

Going shopping for clothes wipes me out these days! I often feel exhausted after going into shops with bright lights, even for a short time. I usually leave empty handed because I'm too exhausted to choose what to buy! So annoying, and a waste of time! I end up back in my car, closing my eyes to rest them before driving home. I wonder how common this is for other women. Well, I really must invest in some Irlen lenses. Although I don't have trouble with words moving on a page, I have become more sensitive to glare over the years. I cannot read for long, particularly black text on a whitish background and my exhaustion after being in brightly lit rooms. Just thought I'd share! And this is what AI says I'll look like with Irlen lenses...not too bad!

25/09/2026

With The Well by Green Earth Kids – I just made it onto their weekly engagement list by being one of their top engagers! 🎉

10/09/2026

They have their Irlen lenses.....now what?

Now they have to practice reading, just like playing sport - the more you train, the better you get.

What can parents do?

Encourage your child to read aloud to you atleast 3 times/week.
Remind them NOT to guess
Tell them to look at each word properly before they say it
Cover the pictures if they rely heavily on them
It's okay for them to read slowly as long as they are working on getting the words right.

If you think there is an issue with their glasses contact us or your diagnostician to discuss.




🌈🌈🤔

30/08/2026

FIBROMYALGIA and visual sensitivity: Could colour make a difference? 🌈

If you have fibromyalgia, you may already be familiar with sensitivity to light, patterns, screens or visually busy environments.

But did you know that research has found increased visual sensitivity in people with fibromyalgia?

A 2022 study by Ten Brink & Bultitude investigated visual sensitivity in people with fibromyalgia and found that they experienced more visual discomfort, visual distortions and pain when viewing certain visual patterns and shapes than people without chronic pain. They also reported greater visual sensitivity in everyday life.

Interestingly, the researchers suggested that future research should investigate whether precision spectral filters could help reduce visual discomfort in people with fibromyalgia.

Where might Irlen lenses fit in? 👓

Irlen lenses use an individually selected colour filter to alter the wavelengths of light reaching the eyes.

For someone who experiences visual stress or sensitivity to light and patterns, the right colour may make visual environments feel more comfortable.

Some people report that their Irlen lenses help with things such as:

• sensitivity to bright or fluorescent lighting
• visual discomfort
• glare
• headaches associated with visual environments
• difficulty looking at screens
• discomfort from busy patterns or environments

Importantly, Irlen lenses are not a specific treatment or cure for fibromyalgia, and the study above did not test Irlen lenses.

However, the research raises an interesting question:

If visual sensitivity is increased for some people with fibromyalgia, could reducing visual stress make everyday environments more comfortable?

That's something that can be explored individually through an Irlen assessment.

If you have fibromyalgia and find that light, patterns, screens or visually busy environments make you feel uncomfortable, it may be worth investigating whether visual sensitivity is contributing to your experience.

📍 Irlen Diagnostic Clinic Ballarat PH: 0417 593 416
🌈 Individualised colour assessment for visual stress and sensitivity

Reference: Ten Brink, A. F., & Bultitude, J. H. (2022). Visual Sensitivity in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome and Fibromyalgia: An Online Study. Perception, 51(3), 187–209.

23/08/2026

22/08/2026

Normal eyesight but still struggling to read? 👀📖

You’ve had your child’s eyes tested — and their eyesight is perfectly normal.

So why are they still struggling with reading?

Sometimes the issue isn't how clearly the eyes see, but how well the brain processes what the eyes are seeing. And this is not about intelligence, or not trying hard enough.

A child may have normal 20/20 vision but still experience difficulties such as:

🔹 Words seeming to move, blur or become distorted
🔹 Losing their place when reading
🔹 Skipping or repeating words or lines
🔹 Finding reading tiring or uncomfortable
🔹 Headaches or eyestrain when reading
🔹 Difficulty concentrating on a page
🔹 Becoming overwhelmed by bright lights or glare
🔹 Avoiding reading because it feels hard work

These can sometimes be associated with visual processing dysfunction, such as Irlen Syndrome.

An ordinary eye test checks important aspects of eyesight — but it does not assess how the brain processes visual information.

If your child's eyesight is normal but reading still seems unusually difficult, there may be more to investigate. Don't delay. The quicker your child can be helped, the less learning they will miss. So many subjects at school are dependent on reading.

At Irlen Diagnostic Clinic Ballarat, we assess children and adults for visual processing difficulties and explore whether coloured overlays or individually prescribed Irlen lenses may help. You can start off by completing a Self Test on our website www.irlenballarat.com.au

If this sounds like your child, please get in touch with us.

19/08/2026

Thanks Irlen Diagnostic Clinic Newcastle Australia . Yes, so many adults are held back with these problems and just try and put up with them. But they don't have to.

🚨 Reading shouldn't be a struggle. If it is, there may be a reason.

If words seem to move or blur, bright lights bother you, or reading leaves you with headaches or fatigue, an Irlen Syndrome screening could provide the answers.

A screening may:
💜 Identify visual processing difficulties.
📖 Improve reading comfort and comprehension.
💡 Reduce visual stress and light sensitivity.
😊 Increase confidence at school, work, and everyday life.

Don't keep wondering why things feel harder than they should.

📍 Irlen Diagnostic Clinic Newcastle
Book your screening today and discover whether Irlen Syndrome could be affecting you or your child.