What is Visual Stress?

Visual stress is a condition that can affect your ability to perform daily tasks, especially those involving reading, driving, or screen use.

Mr Dilesh Makwana, esteemed optometrist, provides an expert insight into visual stress, its causes, signs, and how it can be managed effectively.

What is visual stress?

Visual stress is a condition where the brain has difficulty processing visual information, especially when exposed to certain visual stimuli. The condition isn’t related to poor eyesight but instead involves how the brain interprets visual input.

Common signs and symptoms include:

Blurred or distorted vision: Words on a page or a screen may appear to jump around, blur, or move, making reading difficult.
Eye strain: The eyes may feel sore, tired, or aching after reading for prolonged periods.
Sensitivity to light: Bright lights or glare may exacerbate the discomfort, leading some people to squint or avoid light sources altogether.
Double vision: In some cases, people may experience double vision.
Motion sickness: In some cases, people may experience nausea or dizziness when reading or using screens.

These symptoms can vary in intensity, and often worsen in certain environments, such as classrooms, offices, or places with flickering lights. The discomfort experienced can significantly affect quality of life.

What causes visual stress?

The exact cause of visual stress isn’t fully understood, but it’s thought to be linked to the way the brain interprets and processes visual input from the eyes, particularly patterns, contrasts, or colours.

There are also several factors that can contribute, such as:

Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that affects a person’s ability to read, write, and spell. Many people with dyslexia also experience visual stress, leading to text distortion, word reversal, and frequent errors while reading.

However, it’s important to know that not everyone with dyslexia experiences visual stress, and not everyone with visual stress has dyslexia. Visual stress can make the symptoms of dyslexia more pronounced, but it’s not caused by dyslexia itself.

Migraines

Migraines are severe, recurring headaches often accompanied by visual disturbances, such as flashing lights, blind spots, or blurry vision. For some people, visual stress can trigger or worsen the severity of a migraine attack.

People who experience both migraines and visual stress often report a cycle of symptoms that worsens over time. However, it’s important to know that while visual stress can be a trigger for migraines, not everyone with migraines experiences visual stress.

How is visual stress managed?

Visual stress can’t be cured, but several approaches can help reduce discomfort and improve visual processing:

Colour filters

Colour filters, often in the form of glasses or overlays, are sheets that are placed over reading materials or screens to reduce glare and ease the strain on the eyes that causes visual discomfort. The colour of the filter can vary from person to person, and some people may find certain colours more soothing than others. A comprehensive eye test can help determine the best filter for each person.

Visual training

In some cases, visual stress visual stress can be managed through visual training or therapy. This may involve specific exercises designed to strengthen the eye muscles and improve focus, coordination, and tracking skills.

Ergonomic adjustments

Making changes to the environment can also alleviate symptoms of visual stress. For example, adjusting lighting and brightness, taking regular breaks from tasks, or using screen filters to reduce blue light exposure can help minimise strain on the eyes.

Colorimetry

Colorimetry is a technique used by optometrists to identify and assess how specific colours can help reduce symptoms of visual stress. An essential tool in this field is the Cerium Colorimeter, a high-tech device created by Cerium Visual Technologies, that precisely measures and determines the ideal hue, saturation, and brightness needed to develop custom tinted lenses based on a patient's visual needs. Using advanced optical technology, the Cerium Colorimeter helps patients with visual stress process visual information more comfortably, improving visual clarity and reducing perceptual distortions.

Patients seen at Eyesite Eyecare Centres can now benefit from access to the Cerium Colorimeter.

Is visual stress lifelong?

Visual stress isn’t always a permanent condition. In some cases, visual stress can improve or even resolve with specific interventions, such as coloured filters. However, for others, long-term management will be necessary, involving ongoing care and adjustments to their environment.

In children, symptoms may improve as their visual system matures with age, but the condition may also persist into adulthood. Early diagnosis, proper management, and lifestyle adjustments can significantly reduce the impact of visual stress, helping people lead a more comfortable life.

To book an appointment with Mr Dilesh Makwana, head on over to his Top Doctors profile today.