Cycloplegic Refraction (finding “hidden” prescription needs)
In many children with reading discomfort, there can be small uncorrected prescriptions (often mild long‑sightedness or astigmatism). Cycloplegic drops relax the focusing system so we can measure accurately.
Binocular Vision & Focusing (Accommodation + Convergence)
Visual stress symptoms often sit alongside:
- Focusing fatigue (accommodation issues)
- Eye teaming difficulties (convergence insufficiency/excess)
- Subtle alignment issues (eso/exophoria patterns)
This is critical because visual stress can resemble other visual difficulties — so we rule these in/out clinically before moving to colour interventions.
Objective Eye Tracking Assessment (Clinical Eye Tracker)
For children who lose their place, skip lines, or struggle with sustained reading, we can measure eye movements with the Clinical Eye Tracker.
What it does:
It records where each eye is looking during reading tasks and provides measurable information on tracking and binocular behaviour. The system is designed for clinical assessment of eye movements and binocular vision, using infrared cameras and calibrated on‑screen tasks.
Why it matters:
It adds objective data to symptoms — and helps us recommend the most appropriate next step (prescription, binocular vision management, overlays/colour, or referral).
Reading Rate + Overlay Assessment (ReadEZ / Rate of Reading)
We use ReadEZ screening methodology, including:
- Baseline symptoms and baseline reading rate
- Colour screening to find the most comfortable tint
- Repeat reading rate with the preferred colour
ReadEZ includes a Rate of Reading test (associated with Prof. Arnold Wilkins’ work) and compares performance with and without colour to help predict sustained benefit.
Precision Tinted Lenses (Cerium Curve Colourimetry)
If overlays help and the child needs a more practical, consistent solution, we can assess for precision tinted lenses using Cerium colourimetry.
Cerium’s technology is designed to explore a wide colour space and identify an individualised tint; their process emphasises precision because some patients may need very exact tints. Cerium also highlights its spectral checking and matching within a precision tinting workflow.
Clinical integrity (and what the evidence says)
Visual stress / Meares‑Irlen remains an area with ongoing debate and mixed evidence in the wider literature, including systematic reviews questioning diagnostic consistency and treatment effectiveness. That’s exactly why our clinic is built on a cautious, structured approach: we prioritise a full visual assessment, rule out other causes, and only then consider overlays or tints.
