Visual difficulties questionnaire

Why is it important that you read this?

A diagnostic assessment needs to give an accurate and reliable picture of someone's difficulties. That's why I ask everyone being assessed to have had a routine eyesight test within the previous 2 years. 

However, some visual difficulties aren't detected during a routine eyesight test. Someone may have been told their eyesight is normal but still experiences blurred or moving text, headaches, eye strain or other difficulties when reading. This can affect reading accuracy and fluency.

Coloured overlays or paper can sometimes make reading feel more comfortable but, contrary to common belief, this is unrelated to dyslexia (unless, for example, significant reading difficulties result in hyperfocusing on the words). Our professional guidance requires significant visual disturbances to be explored by an appropriately qualified vision professional before a dyslexia/dyscalculia assessment takes place.

The questions

Please answer YES or NO to each question. If you're booking for a child, ask them the questions directly.

Answer YES only if the symptom happens often (i.e., several times a week) and can't be explained by:

  • feeling tired

  • not wearing prescribed glasses or contact lenses

  • staring intensely at words because reading itself is very difficult.

  1. Do you OFTEN get headaches when you read or study?

  2. Do your eyes OFTEN feel sore or gritty or watery?

  3. Does reading from white paper or from a bright screen OFTEN feel uncomfortable?

  4. Does print OFTEN appear blurred or go in and out of focus when you read?

  5. Does the print of the book or the screen OFTEN appear double when you are reading?

  6. Do words OFTEN seem to move or merge when you are reading?

  7. Do objects in the distance OFTEN appear more blurred after you have been reading? 

  8. Do you OFTEN have to screw up your eyes to see more clearly when you are reading?

  9. Do you OFTEN move your eyes around or blink to make things clearer or more comfortable when you are reading? 

  10. Do you OFTEN experience any problems with your vision that interfere with your ability to read or study?

Click on your answer below to find out your next steps

Great! You can go ahead and book your assessment.

These questions will also appear in your pre-assessment questionnaire so I can check that nothing has changed. Please remember that a routine eyesight test shoud have taken place in the previous 2 years.

You can go ahead and book the assessment with me but the overlay must be used at the assessment. If convergence difficulties, binocular difficulties or visual stress hasn't already been explored, I'll provide an optometry referral letter.

Visual symptoms will need to be explored before the assessment, even if a recent routine eyesight test was normal. Ask your high street optometrist specifically about binocular vision and convergence - whether the eyes are working together. If a difficulty is identified, any recommended treatment, such as eye exercises, should be completed before booking the assessment.

If binocular or convergence difficulties aren't found, it may be appropriate to explore a Colorimetry assessment with a suitably qualified optometrist.

Clients have recommended several optometrists who offer more comprehensive visual assessments including visual stress testing. These include Surrey Opticians, Owen Leigh Optometry in Petersfield, Alexander Opticians in East Grinstead and Lawrence i-care Optometrists in East Grinstead. You may wish to ask whether a Colorimetry assessment would be beneficial.

Please contact me before the booking if you're unsure.