Coloured filters and lenses for reading discomfort and difficulty: an Australian and New Zealand perspective

Children who struggle with learning to read, and those who experience reading discomfort, are faced with varied and conflicting opinions regarding appropriate interventions. They commonly present to eye care practitioners for an examination and advice, often after a referral from school. Eye care practitioners have a responsibility to understand and to convey the current state of evidence about any proposed treatment plan to affected individuals who find themselves vulnerable due to a lack of expertise. Non-beneficial therapies for reading difficulty and discomfort may contribute to the delay of appropriate interventions, a critical issue for children learning to read, and one which may have health, economic and educational implications. This perspective and review examines the historical context, proposed causal theories, and current state of the evidence regarding the use of coloured filters for children with reading difficulties, and people of all ages with reading discomfort, and concludes that such use cannot be recommended or promoted based on literature published to date.