Tinted lenses for visual perceptual and reading problems
BEYOND IRLEN LENSES
As a qualified teacher and autism consultant since 1996Â I have worked with hundreds of children and adults experiencing Scotopic Sensitivity (Irlen Syndrome), visual perceptual disorders or dyslexia.
Tinted lenses will not work for all visual perceptual or reading problems and Irlen tinted lenses and tested at psychologist rates makes Irlen too expensive for many people.
BPI tinted lenses are an alternative to Irlen lenses at a fraction of the price and rather as a consultant I facilitate highly affordable self testing with the BPI autism test range (used by those in the autism spectrum population who have Scotopic Sensitivity, Dyslexia and visual perceptual disorders). Unlike the cosmetic tints in the Irlen range which were developed by psychologists, the BPI range has been developed by Opthamologists, specialists in the treatment of visual perceptual disorders.
My consultations are $80 per hour and tinting of lenses by BPI, if suitable, can be supplied for around $60, making a pair of BPI tinted lenses a fraction of the cost of an Irlen pair. My facilitation of self testing involves trying the tinted lenses to view faces and facial expression, outdoor environments as well as the impact on posture and both physical reading and reading comprehension.
Scotopic Sensitivity should be distinguished from Dyslexia from other reading disorders such as Visual-Verbal agnosia (a language processing disorder effecting the ability to read with meaning) and provide strategies and advice for dealing with this additional visual perceptual disorder.
Sincerely,
Donna Williams, BA Hons, Dip Ed,
Author, artist, singer-songwriter, screenwriter.
Autism consultant and public speaker.
http://www.myspace.com/nobodynowherethefilm
http://www.donnawilliams.net
http://www.aspinauts.com
hello, Donna.
I am an autistic indivisual living in Japan.
I have been looking for affordable ways to get myself a pair of tinted lenses. Do you know if Bpi will make a pair for me and send to Japan?
If it’s too expensive I wont be able to afford it.
I would love to hear from you.
ai
the problem is that you won’t know which of their 8 lenses works for you. But four of their 8 are readily available at opticians… the BPI DD 400 is a snow tint, looks clear, but is slightly green, the BPI DD 450 is a yellow night driving lens, the BPI Sahara and BPI Aviator Grey, are both standard sunglasses tints, sold worldwide… most brown and grey sunglasses will be tinted with BPI tints. So try those at an optician, remember to try the lenses in pairs not singularly.
This sounds great, but are these BPI lenses as effective and as flexible? I have 7 layers of tinting on my Irlen lenses, and it takes about 1.5 hours to go through my testing for them. While the first assessment does carry a very hefty fee, subsequent testing and lenses don’t cost much more than what you’re quoting.
While I have dubious feelings about the Irlen Institute in general, their method does, for the most part, work for me, and you’re not giving me any compelling reason to change.