Testimonials

Dear Dr. Hay,

Thank you so much for your efforts of Kyle’s behalf last week. It was so evident that you knew how to circumvent the elaborate coping mechanisms that children like Kyle have developed in order to survive in our educational system (both public and private). Your grace and knowledge was much appreciated.

Kyle’s optometrist, Dr. Kevin Lenahan, is really receptive and even enthusiastic about working with him and seeing how his Irlen lenses improve his school performance. I think he will be an advocate for Mrs. Irlen’s work.

Kyle should be receiving his new glasses any day now, and I am planning to be a very vocal advocate for your work any place that I can find a platform.

By the way, the other child at Kyle’s school that is wearing filter lenses was diagnosed at a clinic specializing in learning disabilities in Lawrence, KS. He received his filer evaluation at your clinic, so he has been properly evaluated and his mom says that his lenses are really making a difference.

I’ll keep you informed when Kyle gets his lenses so that you have as much anecdotal evidence as I can supply.

-Vicci L.

Dear Dr. Hay,

Before the use of Irlen lenses, reading was done in 10 to 15 minute intervals with at least five to ten minute breaks between each session. Otherwise, extreme fatigue culminating in headache and actual sleep would occur. The eye strain radiated to my neck and shoulders followed by fatigue and pain. Changing lighting, chairs and posture yielded the same results for extended periods of reading.

Driving at night was stressful even though I have relatively good night vision. Night lighting, especially halogen headlights of oncoming traffic, had always been painful and coping skills such as focusing away from the light source were developed. Even the indirect lighting of the instrument panel of vehicles was annoying. Flashing lights also posed problems. All of the above stressors contributed to fatigue.

After the use of Irlen lenses, extended reading without strain, fatigue or pain is routinely accomplished. Headaches from eye strain no longer exist. The energy spent combating eye strain, fatigue and pain is now available for productive activities. Flashing lights and night driving are no longer annoying.

One added benefit of these lenses is the noticeable change in colors. I am not color or pattern blind, but the lenses increased the intensities of colors. All colors have a deeper hue and are far more appealing.

The most dramatic change occurs when I use safety glasses that are not tinted in my shop. Those glasses are worn only in that setting. Both fluorescent and incandescent lighting is used in my shop. The lighting has an alerting or alarming effect. The fleeting glance of an incandescent light is startling. After returning to my Irlen lenses, an instant change is noted in eye strain and overall edginess.

Before my first pair of corrective lenses, I knew trees had leaves and could recognize the difference between pecan and oak leaves. Because I never experienced seeing the individual leaves in that massive green tree, I never knew they existed. Before Irlen filters, I never experienced vision without strain or fatigue. I accepted that as status quo because nothing different had ever occurred.

I only have my experiences as a point of reference. The changes in vision experienced with Irlen filters are perceptual. The quality, the comfort and ease, the relief of strain and fatigue are difficult, if not impossible, to quantify. I have experienced those types of changes resulting from Irlen lenses. Without reservations, I recommend the use of Irlen filters. It has dramatically changed my life.

Sincerely,
Glen H.

Dear Dr. Hay,

We are so pleased with Casey’s wonderful outcome of his new glasses. His words are calm, they stay on the page and are easy for him to read and to do his school work.

I would like to tell you about our trip to Children’s Mercy. I thought I could get some support that would help us. They said he was ADD and needed to take a drug called Ritalin or Adderall. That would control his tendency to drift, and he would be focused on his school work. The words would stay on the page and would not swirl on the page. Let me remind you this is a nine year old, perfectly healthy boy, let’s medicate the problem to fix it.

Your help is a great help to my son’s education and his life. It is nice to have your help and support. I would strongly support your institute “Irlen Clinic of Wichita”. It works, and is not as expensive compared to the thousands of dollars I have spent with NO results.

Thank you for your help and your miracle.

Ruby W.

Dear Dr. Hay,

Bob started wearing filters before you were a certified Irlen Clinic. At one point Bob and I ventured to Long Beach, CA to have his filters checked. When you started evaluating the filters we came to you and have found you to be conscientious and professional. We are lucky to have you in the Midwest! I am writing this letter in hopes that you will share it with others. My motive will become clear as our story unfolds.

My son, Bob, was born prematurely 13 years ago. Since then my life has been a struggle to find the right combination of help to assure that he realizes his full potential in life. I watched my child’s reading skills decline as he advanced through the early elementary grades. Rather than crediting this to being an “early bloomer”, as one teacher insisted, I suspected that something was different. Something was happening to make my child avoid books as the print became smaller. His eye doctor assured me Bob’s vision was fine. We sought consultation from a neurologist concerning his frequent and severe headaches. When I stumbled across information about Irlen filters I figured what did we have to lose? Maybe this was a piece of the puzzle that is my child’s learning difference.

I did not expect much. In his initial evaluation Bob insisted that all pages were clear with no distortions. I was convinced there was no help for us there. Then the colored overlays were used. “Wow, they’re straight!” Bob exclaimed as he gazed at the page he had declared perfectly clear just moments earlier. He had never seen an undistorted page.

I let Bob know that he did not have to commit to a lifetime of wearing colored lenses but I insisted he give the filters a chance. At first he wore them only during reading. (He wore them happily at home and with friends in “safe” surroundings.) When school was dismissed for the summer Bob wore them all the time. In the fall, Bob chose to wear his filters full time in the fourth grade. A shy, self-conscious child by nature, this was not an easy decision. When I offered to replace his colored filters with regular lenses after an incident at school he refused. We talked about being different and accepting yourself as you are and I said to my son “I cannot stop other children from teasing you, but I will do everything in my power to raise awareness and understanding of your filters”.

The Irlen Filters haven’t solved all his learning problems, but they have been an important tool in improving the quality of my son’s life. The benefits are subtle, yet significant. Bob has experienced a marked decrease in fatigue and headaches. He reads above grade level and no longer feels uncomfortable in fluorescent lighting. “My filters are a necessity.” Bob will enter the seventh grade this fall wearing his second set of tinted contact lenses.

As I stated earlier, please feel free to share our story. There is no doubt in my mind that the time is coming with colored filters will be an accepted part of the visual process.

Sincerely,
Mary Ann K.

Dear Dr. Hay,

Where do I start? I guess with the changes in my son. There are so many. As a child, catching a ball is very important. Something my 8 year old son, Jeffery, couldn’t do. He had terrible grades in school. In the back of my mind, every May I would ask myself, “do I let the teacher send him on the next grade?”, and to my surprise they always did. He was definitely border-line passing.

We spent at least two hours every night at the kitchen table correcting and/or redoing work from that day or another. He would cry and cry. I rode him hard. One night we were both at our wits end, so I called his teacher. I started working and communicating with her on what we could do. Besides putting him in special education, she suggested having his eyes checked. The reason for starting here was because you couldn’t read his handwriting. When he copied things from the board, nothing would be in place, everything ran together. Some letters were big, some were small. Only one or two words on a line. Actually, there was no line it all floated off the line.

So, we went to get his eyes checked. I had my hopes up so high that when she said he had 20/20 vision I was very disappointed. Then it dawned on me; that is wonderful. But I still had no answer. Jeffery’s teacher was full of suggestions, I was willing to try anything.

She started working with him in the classroom. She introduced the whole class to overlays. She said anyone could use them anytime. Jeffery was one of them that kept going back day after day. We started noticing a small improvement.

Now we were ready to try the next step. That was going to a screening. We traveled three and a half hours away to Oswego, KS. One of Jeffery’s teacher’s friends does this screening. She worked with him for about an hour. At the end of our session we bought three sets of overlays. One for home, one for his classroom and one for his special education class. Because I don’t have insurance, we decided to use the correct color of overlays for a while.

He started doing better, but you know what? My son still could not catch a ball. After doing so much better with the overlays and lots of saving, we decided it was time. We bought our frames and clear lenses in our town and we made another three and a half hour trip to Wichita, KS. This doctor did some of the same things the first screener did, only in more depth. She has a suitcase full of lenses in every color. As she held them up to his eyes and asked him to read a paragraph, it was like listening to someone else’s child. That wasn’t in stop and go motion, it was much smoother.

By the end of another hour, my son was diagnosed with “Scotopic Sensitivity”. She sent his glasses to California, and in a week we had them back. Three weeks before school is out is never too late. His grades came up, mostly high C’s, but a few low ones too. We were so excited! He wears his glasses all the time.

Over the summer I gave him a break. I didn’t make him read. He was doing it on his own. Reading anything he got his hands on, the back of cereal boxes and magazines. He wanted to join the book club at the library, and read 28 books over the summer.

School has been in session now for six and half weeks. We got mid-term reports at five weeks and to our grateful surprise, 1 A, 2 B’s and 1 C+. We were so excited! My son plays basketball and football at school and is going to play 4th grade baseball. His handwriting is where it should be, not great, but you can read it easily. He reads great, he is one of the top readers in his class. He actually has self-esteem. He knows he can do what everyone else does.

I started him in a different school this year because I work in this town. Two weeks into the year I went to his teacher and asked her when he was going to start special ed. She had no idea he had been in special ed. In 3rd grade all of his work was modified. He did half the work the other kids did and had a hard time with that. This year, he does all the work. We are so proud of him. We found his learning disability.

Thank you,
Turlla S.

Hi Dr. Hay,

I just wanted to let you know that my new lenses are working out really well. I have to say that they do the best job ever at keeping the letters of the page or monitor from moving.

It was good to have a chance to see you again and to “let you take the lead” so that I could have such a good outcome.

Thanks,
Thomas L.

It is incredible feeling to know that something, other than prescription medication, can help a brain injury heal. This technology is great. I think that many other Marines who have suffered from one or many TBI-related injuries can benefit from these glasses. My experience with them has been exceptional, and I look forward to a new pain-free lifestyle.

Daniel

After a few days of wearing my Irlen glasses, I could see a huge difference. I was able to read, write, and take notes without having to struggle with my eyes. After about two weeks, I noticed that my migraines had not been as severe as before. Today I can tell you that I feel great. My wife and children have noticed a huge difference after my glasses arrived. I have not taken Mazait for about 10 days. I have also stopped taking other medications prescribed for migraines and headaches.

Pedro

I have been in vestibular therapy because I was dizzy all the time. I asked to be re-evaluated with my Irlen Filters, and I got a perfect score meaning I no longer have a problem. I no longer am angry or have outbursts. My confidence level has greatly improved. My Irlen Filters are amazing and have changed my life. The change in my ability to focus and concentrate is amazing. I can pull back my racing thoughts. I am doing archery as therapy, and my ability to shoot is a lot better.

Christopher

My Irlen Filters are the most amazing thing I have ever gotten. It helps with everyday life. Not having any headaches makes it so that I am able to focus and concentrate. Before my Irlen Filters, I would have to take a break after reading one page; and with my Irlen Filters, I was able to read 500 pages in three days. My Irlen Filters are incredible.

Daniel

I love my Irlen Filters. They have helped me. With my Irlen Filters, I have been able to be in school and keep up with everyone. I have no more headaches and am able to retain information. Reading is so nice.

Ray