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Are you ok with reading?

Rufous McKinney

Senior Member
Messages
13,251
Does anyone know whether this difficulty in reading has some connection with Irlen syndrome?

wow- thats all Newsworthy.

Something about all that sounds like- it could be playing a role...in the whole shebang..

It does feel like its BOTH an eye problem AND a brain problem. How looking thru colored filters would fix it: well that part seems iffy.

Whatever this is- its our version, our ME version of it, most likely.

I also think cortisol has plays some role in the- response I'm having, because of how the eye issues cycle. My eyes seem fine: when I wake up mostly. Within ten minutes: not fine sets in. Whats with that?
 

Pyrrhus

Senior Member
Messages
4,172
Location
U.S., Earth
From the Irlen Institute, founded by Helen Irlen in 1983:
https://irlen.com/what-is-irlen-syndrome/

Irlen.com said:
What is Irlen Syndrome?

Irlen Syndrome (also referred to at times as Meares-Irlen Syndrome, Scotopic Sensitivity Syndrome, and Visual Stress) is a perceptual processing disorder. It is not an optical problem. It is a problem with the brain’s ability to process visual information. This problem tends to run in families and is not currently identified by other standardized educational or medical tests.

[...]

Symptoms of Irlen Syndrome

Light Sensitivity:
Bothered by glare, fluorescent lights, bright lights, sunlight and sometimes lights at night
Some individuals experience physical symptoms and feel tired, sleepy, dizzy, anxious, or irritable. Others experience headaches, mood changes, restlessness or have difficulty staying focused, especially with bright or fluorescent lights.

Reading Problems:
Poor comprehension
Misreads words
Problems tracking from line to line
Reads in dim light
Skips words or lines
Reads slowly or hesitantly
Takes breaks
Loses place
Avoids reading

Discomfort:
Strain and fatigue
Tired or sleepy
Headaches or nausea
Fidgety or restless
Eyes that hurt or become watery

Attention and Concentration Problems:
Problems with concentration when reading and doing academic tasks
Often people can appear to have other conditions, such as attention deficit disorder, and are given medication unnecessarily.

Writing Problems:
Trouble copying
Unequal spacing
Unequal letter size
Writing up or downhill
Inconsistent spelling

Other Characteristics:
Strain or fatigue from computer use
Difficulty reading music
Sloppy, careless math errors
Misaligned numbers in columns
Ineffective use of study time
Lack of motivation
Grades do not reflect the amount of effort

Depth Perception:
Clumsiness
Difficulty catching balls
Difficulty judging distances
Additional caution necessary while driving

Distortions:
Words on the page lack clarity or stability; i.e., may appear to be blurry, moving, or disappear

It sounds like this might apply to autism, brain injury, or other conditions...
 
Messages
4
I think it is mostly a brain problem at least for me

Things I found which help a little -

Listen to audiobooks and slow the audio down to make it less fatiguing - https://notdoneliving.net/slow-audio.html (sorry about the terrible design on the page, I'm working on it slowly)

Fiddle around with ebook reader apps to figure out which font, text size, background colour, etc works best for you. I do best with low contrast, very large font size, large margins, but you will probably be different

Alternate between visual reading and audio reading if your setup allows, and take lots of breaks/rests

If you are reading fiction, try books for Young Adults - they are still interesting but simpler plots and easier to follow = less brainpower needed.


I couldn't read at all when most sick, now I can somewhat if I am careful and pace myself. I'm scared to lose it again.
 

Rebeccare

Moose Enthusiast
Messages
9,064
Location
Massachusetts
try books for Young Adults - they are still interesting but simpler plots and easier to follow = less brainpower needed.
I'll second this, and add that re-reading books you're already familiar with will also help cut down the brainpower needed. If I tried to read Harry Potter for the first time now, I don't think I'd be able to keep all of the characters, houses, and wizarding spells straight! But reading it now I wouldn't really need to give it my full attention in order to enjoy it and follow the action because it's something so familiar.

Fiddle around with ebook reader apps to figure out which font, text size, background colour, etc works best for you. I do best with low contrast, very large font size, large margins, but you will probably be different
Such good suggestions! An e-reader is also a must for me. I had originally stopped reading not so much because of the mental fatigue, but because the physical effort of holding up a book and turning the pages was too much. I often would be too tired to turn the page, so I'd just read the same pages over and over and over again until I sloooowly got up the energy to flip a page. And then I'd have to repeat the same laborious process a few minutes later! E-readers are much lighter and easier to handle.

I also like that I can use back-lit e-reader at night so if I have restless legs or insomnia I can amuse myself without having to turn on a light. So handy!
 
Last edited:

Pyrrhus

Senior Member
Messages
4,172
Location
U.S., Earth
Someone on Facebook recommended the following study on reading problems in ME:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ar...kHG2A37Gk0GFCS-cU3xnOnhzBzPrg9gi1FdfPksxWYnj0

Excerpt:
Wilson et al 2018 said:
Visual Aspects of Reading Performance in Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME)

People with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) report vision-related reading difficulty, although this has not been demonstrated objectively. Accordingly, we assessed reading speed and acuity, including crowded acuity and acuity for isolated words using standardized tests of reading and vision, in 27 ME/CFS patients and matched controls. We found that the ME/CFS group exhibited slower maximum reading speed, and had poorer crowded acuity than controls. Moreover, crowded acuity was significantly associated with maximum reading speed, indicating that patients who were more susceptible to visual crowding read more slowly. These findings suggest vision-related reading difficulty belongs to a class of measureable symptoms for ME/CFS patients.