Wednesday 15 October 2014

My New Coloured Filters

Colorimeter vs Irlen Method. 

New Colorimeter Filters 
When looking into Irlen Syndrome I did a bit of research on it all before I went for my screening last year. I came across Irlen filters offered through a Irlen Diagnostician and also Intuitive Colorimeter which seemed to be done through an optometrist. It was hard to find testimonials but I did find one pages saying Intuitive Colorimeter was a much more inferior process to the Irlen Method and at the time I didn't pay much attention to the site I was reading this information from. It wasn't until I had issues with my last pair of Irlen Spectral Filters that stopped working after a month and then proceeded to give me an excruciating headache through the left side of my head as a result I stopped wearing my Irlen Spectral Filters all together. 


My First pair of Irlen Spectral Filters the morning I got them before an Exam

The pair of Irlen Spectral Filters that should never have been

The last Irlen Spectral Filters that stopped working after 4 weeks
 I then went and did the Cellfield remediation and for a few months after that I had no need for any filters at all. I noticed though that I was experiencing the same symptoms and sensitivity to lighting like I used to before my Irlen Spectral Filters. I then looked in to Intuitive Colorimeter again as I had been referred to a Behavioural Optometrist here in Adelaide. It was then that I realised that the original sight I read saying that Intuitive Colorimeter was an inferior process to the Irlen Method was actually an Irlen site and the content has since been taken down. I dug further and found some wonderful testimonies about the outcomes of using colourimeter filters. I also read much of the research and studies done into Meares-Irlen Syndrome and the development of Intuitive Colorimeter

I took the plunge and am very happy with the outcome. 


I've had my new Colorimeter filters for 6 weeks and they are good! Glad I didn't throw in the towel entirely after my experience with the Irlen Method. The best part for me is knowing I have a 3 month warranty with these filters, meaning that if for ANY reason I feel they are not working quite right, I can go back and have the color changed at no charge. And not be told it was because of my chiropractic adjustment that the filters stopped working after a month, because one other client had that happen, and be charged $400. 

Another great thing with Colorimeter was the selection process was much more efficient and no where as fatiguing as the Irlen Method. Also I got my filters in a week rather than waiting 4 weeks. 

What did shock me is the closed mindedness of the Irlen "industry" out there, who feel that the ONLY way to successfully treat visual stress is exclusively with Irlen filters, cost to the families be damned. And who ignored and disregarded the science and success of Colourimeter to those who went in that direction. It just sickens me. What I did notice on many of those support groups though, many parents writing in saying their child won't wear their Irlen Spectral Filters because they can't see right, or they make them sick, or they get headaches. These parents are then told their child didn't listen when making their selection or that their child has had a colour shift and needs new glasses. I was so hounded about my suggestion to some of these parents to look into Colourimeter that I left the facebook groups that I decided to leave this support groups on Facebook. Then we have other groups that hound and berate those that even suggest the idea of coloured filters to help children and people with reading issues and dyslexia because of the "official" classification of dyslexia and there being no official research or classification for visual stress. It is just so sad that this happens, when something like this may actually help a child or even adult cope better in life and help them function better.

My advise is do you research go and see various practitioners and ask questions. What works for me, may very well not work for you, but you won't know if you don't research it.