Visual Stress

Visual stress is when someone has difficulty with the demands of reading causing visual discomfort or disturbance when they read.  Common symptoms include fuzziness/blurring of text, movement of text, headaches when reading, difficulty keeping place when reading and issues with brightness.

Typically, concerns would be raised by the young person, or their family. This would then lead to an investigation by a visual professional being completed. 

Once an external assessment has been completed, our young people are usually given some recommendations and support strategies.  This may include things like :

• Using reading specific lenses which are tinted in colour

• Using tinted overlays to help with reading

• Techniques on how best to approach reading

• Techniques on how to set up the environment for optimal reading

Once we receive these recommendations, your Support for Learning team will work with the young person to tailor support appropriately.