A specialist Newcastle clinic has played a key role in an international team of researchers, helping scientists better understand why some everyday environments can be visually overwhelming.
Vision Through Colour, based in Gosforth, was one of just two specialist visual stress practices worldwide invited to contribute to a working group led by Dr Beverley Burke at Birkbeck, University of London.
The ongoing collaborative work of the group led to a landmark international research review, led by key authors Professor Paul Hibbard of the University of Stirling and Emeritus Professor Arnold Wilkins of the University of Essex. It was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Vision.
The review examines how modern visual environments – from busy supermarket shelves to striped patterns and certain lighting conditions – can trigger discomfort and visual stress for some people.
Owner of Vision Through Colour, Andrew Keyes and Visual Stress Practitioner, Katherine Batey, worked alongside academic researchers throughout the project, together ensuring the experiences of people living with visual stress remained central to the paper.
Rather than focusing solely on scientific findings, the pair helped ensure the information would be meaningful, relevant and understandable for the people who could benefit from it most.
Katherine said: “Being involved in the preparation of this research paper has been a fantastic opportunity for us. It has given us direct access to the very latest thinking and evidence, which means we can answer questions with greater confidence and provide advice based on the most up-to-date knowledge available.
“One of our most important roles was to represent the patient perspective. Research is particularly valuable if the people it is designed to help can understand it and see how it applies to their everyday lives.
“The research has also broadened our understanding of visual stress. Traditionally, much of the focus has been on reading and text, but we now know that other aspects of our surroundings, including lighting and complex visual environments, can also play an important role. That has influenced how we assess people and helps us provide even more personalised support.”
Vision Through Colour has specialised in assessing and helping individuals with visual stress since 2009, supporting children and adults who experience symptoms such as headaches, light sensitivity, visual discomfort and difficulty reading. The clinic uses detailed assessments to determine whether specially prescribed precision tinted lenses could help improve visual comfort for each individual.
The involvement in the international study further strengthens the clinic’s reputation as a specialist clinic in this field, ensuring its team remains at the forefront of the latest developments in visual stress research.
For local people seeking help with visual stress, it means they can access expertise that has helped shape research influencing understanding of the condition around the world.
For more details visit: www.visionthroughcolour.co.uk.
