Visual Patterns in Reading Tasks: An Eye-Tracking Analysis of Meares-Irlen Syndrome Simulation Effects

This work investigates reading patterns based on effects of the Meares-Irlen Syndrome (SMI), a visual-perception deficit that affects indirectly our cognitive system. The most common symptoms related to SMI in reading tasks are visual stress, sensation of moving letters and distortions in the text. These effects have been computationally simulated here and using eye-tracking information of a number of participants we have been able to linearly classify each effects with high accuracy.

Irlen syndrome: systematic review and level of evidence analysis

ABSTRACT Background: Scotopic sensitivity syndrome, later called Meares-Irlen syndrome or simply Irlen syndrome (IS) has been described as symptoms of poor reading ability due to poor color matching and distorted graphic images. Individuals with this syndrome are considered slow, ineffective readers with low comprehension and visual fatigue. It is still uncertain whether the disease pathophysiology is an independent entity or part of the dyslexia spectrum. Nevertheless, treatments with lenses and colored filters have been proposed to alleviate the effect of the luminous contrast and improve patients’ reading performance. However, no evidence of treatment effectiveness has been achieved. Objective: The aim of the present study was to obtain evidence about IS etiology, diagnosis and intervention efficacy. Methods: A systematic review was performed covering the available studies on IS, assessing the available data according to their level of evidence, focusing on diagnostic tools, proposed interventions and related outcomes. Results: The data showed high heterogeneity among studies, and lack of evidence on the existence of IS and treatment effectiveness. Conclusion: The syndrome as described, as well as its treatments, require further strong evidence.