Visual Stress Syndrome

A perceptual processing condition characterized by symptoms of visual distortion, discomfort, and fatigue when reading text, particularly black text on white backgrounds. Individuals with visual stress syndrome experience distortions such as letters appearing to move, merge, or blur on the page, and symptoms are often alleviated by using individually prescribed colored filters or overlays. While it is a distinct condition from dyslexia, research suggests it co-occurs more frequently in people with dyslexia, and colored overlays appear to benefit dyslexic children more than non-dyslexic children.