Visual stress
We’re delighted to offer ReadEZ, a digital screening and assessment system designed to help patients with visual stress (also known as Meares-Irlen syndrome), where looking at black text on a white page can cause words to blur, move or flicker.
The most common symptoms are as follows:
- Text distortion: Words appear to swim, blur or have rivers of white running through paragraphs
- Physical discomfort: Frequent eye strain, sore eyes and headaches or migraines during reading
- Reading disruption: Losing your place, skipping lines or needing a finger to track words
- Light sensitivity: A dislike of bright white paper, fluorescent office lights or night driving
Common causes and triggers include:
- High-contrast patterns: Black text printed on a bright white page can overstimulate the visual cortex
- Environmental light: Unnatural flicker from fluorescent bulbs or harsh screen glare can exacerbate visual stress
Our specialist ReadEZ software tests which specific coloured background or tint will reduce your eye strain and improve your reading speed. During your assessment we establish a baseline by measuring your reading speed and track any symptoms using standard text on a plain white screen.
The ReadEZ software then systematically changes the background colour across a wide range of spectrums. This allows you to provide feedback on which colour backgrounds felt most comfortable and which made the text stop moving or hurting your eyes. We then confirm this with a re-rest of reading speed and accuracy using the specified colour to ensure that the result is accurate. The software calculates the exact improvement in fluency and comfort to provide a baseline for future assessments.
Based on the outcome of the test, we will then recommend the most suitable solution, which might be physical coloured overlays, reading rulers, clip-on tints or custom prescription glasses.
If you believe you may be suffering from visual stress, please schedule your appointment today so we can carry out a ReadEZ assessment.
Also available
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Myopia control
Corporate eyecare
Ocular coherence tomography (OCT)
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Dry eye and blepharitis advice
Glaucoma, diabetes and AMD screening
Visual field screening
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Everyone is so lovely and friendly here! Always a great eye test with clear explanations of what's going on, and it was great having a hand choosing my glasses frames.
This is a fantastic independent opticians. Nothing is too much trouble for them. You are always warmly welcomed and never rushed. My eyesight is complex and Emma and Charlotte have worked so hard to maximise the sight and find the best glasses. I particularly like the continuity of an independent optician, the staff know you and you don't have to explain everything to a stranger on each visit. My lenses have been complex and expensive but Charlotte tries to keep the cost as low as possible when dispensing. I highly recommend this opticians.
Highly recommend Eyes of Swavesey - they really know what they’re doing. When they found my husband had a serious problem with his eye during a routine checkup, they immediately referred him to Addenbrooke’s for treatment - they take eye health very seriously and have all the technology needed to do the full range of tests, An excellent personal service, and lovely friendly staff who take their time to talk about options and help find the perfect frames from a huge range. Great location just off the A14 - I’d never go anywhere else
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