Specialist Clinic Spotlight: Visual Stress & Reading Clinic

Learning to read doesn’t come easily to every child. For some, reading at home can turn into a daily battle, met with frustration, resistance, and even tears. While this can sometimes be just a passing phase, for others, difficulties with reading persist well into their school years, impacting confidence and performance across all academic subjects.

One potential cause is visual stress, a condition that affects an estimated 20% of the population. The good news? We have simple, effective ways to help.

Could visual stress be affecting your child?

A single appointment at our Visual Stress Clinic may be enough to make a noticeable difference. You might consider booking if your child experiences any of the following:

• Words or letters that seem to move or blur on the page

• Print that appears distorted or changes in size

• Patterns in text (described as “rivers” or “worms” running through lines)

• Coloured halos around letters or words

• Tiredness or discomfort when reading

• Frequent headaches during or after reading

• Frustration or embarrassment when reading aloud

• Avoidance of reading altogether

What to expect at the clinic

During your child’s initial appointment, we’ll carry out a thorough assessment, including:

• Eye coordination checks – We’ll assess how well their eyes work together (binocular stability), and if needed, demonstrate simple exercises to improve this.

• Overlay testing – We’ll explore whether a coloured overlay can make reading more comfortable. Using a structured process, we’ll identify the specific colour that improves their reading clarity, speed, and ease. The difference can be remarkable.

Our specialist optometrist will also provide a brief written report summarising the findings, which can be shared with your child’s teachers to help support their learning journey.

You can find out more on our website.

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