Plain Coloured Reading Overlays are designed to help individuals with Visual Stress when reading.  This Dyslexia friendly resource helps by removing the harsh contrast of black text on a white background.

Created for visual stress sufferers to combine page tinting with tracking support. Eye Level Reading Rulers are the original low-cost solution for visual stress, and have been helping children, especially those with dyslexia, discover the joy of reading. 

Buy a pack now to see if reading through colour will help you or your child to read more fluently!

Are coloured overlays for dyslexia or visual stress?

Coloured overlays are for visual stress, not dyslexia. Dyslexia is a language-based difficulty with reading and spelling, linked to how the brain processes the sounds in words, and a tinted sheet cannot change that. Visual stress is a separate condition affecting how comfortably the eyes cope with text on the page. The two frequently occur together, so many dyslexic readers also find an overlay helpful, but the overlay is easing the visual stress rather than treating the dyslexia. Visual stress is a perceptual difficulty where text can appear to move, blur, glare or swim on the white page, making reading tiring and hard to sustain. 

How do coloured overlays help with reading?

By placing a coloured filter over the page, an overlay calms the glare and visual distortion that some readers experience, which can make text clearer and steadier. Readers often report less eye strain, fewer headaches and the ability to read for longer. Colour preference varies from person to person, so trialling several tints is the best way to find the one that works. 

How do I choose the right coloured overlay?

Start by trialling a range of colours and pick the tint that makes the text feel clearest and most settled. 

Who are coloured overlays for?

In schools, coloured overlays are an easy-to-introduce support that SENCOs and teachers can offer pupils who find reading from white pages uncomfortable. They sit neatly within SEND provision and can be used in class as part of a pupil's normal way of working. At home, parents use overlays to make reading, homework and books less tiring for children who show signs of visual stress. They suit readers of all ages, from primary pupils to adults.