Asfedia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Asfedia, formerly known as Irlen's Syndrome and Scotopic Sensitivity (Syndrome), is a reading disability. Its characteristics include:
a) the inability to visually detect the edges of or properly "decode" black-colored text written or printed on a white background; and,
b) the inability to sustain 'decoding' for a significant length of time.
Both of these phenomena manifest themselves in a wide variation of intensity, giving rise to the uncertainty for so long associated with the diagnosis of dyslexia. The relationship between reading challenges and visual edge detection results from the fact that text can be understood as a series of vertical edges in a horizontal array. In order for the eyes to successfully and efficiently move (saccade) from one word to the next, the speed with which the brain can identify (detect) these vertical edges needs to be maximized. In individuals displaying poor reading speed and/or "reading stamina", this ability to detect edges is compromised.
In an attempt to both clearly identify this condition in all further work on the subject, and to reinforce the fact that it is just one part of a complex mixture, some asfedia sufferers created the following:
A - Arrythmic
S - Saccade &
F - Foveation during
E - Edge
D - Detection
I - Iterative
A - Arrays
The effects of the condition are ameliorated via the use of special coloured filters and overlays.
 |
This neuroscience article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
