Dyslexia: a review of two theories

Optometrists will frequently see patients, who may have a diagnosis or a suspected diagnosis of dyslexia (specific reading disorder) and will need to manage and counsel such patients. There are many propounded theories on the cause(s) of dyslexia. Although most professionals in this area consider that dyslexia is chiefly a linguistic disorder, the possibility of a visual component is contentious. This article is a selective review of two commonly discussed theories that suggest a visual component in dyslexia; the magnocellular deficit theory and Meares-Irlen syndrome.