To evaluate the main symptoms and associated ocular diseases in patients with dyslexia (reading difficulty) in Korean subjects.

A total of 16 patients were enrolled in the present study. Eleven of the patients with Meares-Irlen syndrome whose symptoms improved with tinted lenses comprised Group 1. The other 5 patients whose reading difficulty improved with other ocular therapy and did not require tinted lenses comprised Group 2. The main symptoms causing dyslexia and associated ocular diseases were evaluated.

The mean age was 18.9 ± 8.9 years in Group 1, and 20.4 ± 12.3 years in Group 2. In Group 1, the most common symptoms while reading were doubling (72%), difficulty to move lines (46%), letter reversal (27%) and blurring or ocular pain (27%). On the other hand, blurring (100%) with fatigue or pain (20%) was documented in Group 2. The associated ocular diseases in Group 1 and Group 2 were refractive error (63% and 20%), dry eye (18% and 60%), and exophoria (18% and 60%), respectively.

Doubling and difficulty to move lines while reading were the main specific symptoms in Meares-Irlen syndrome in the present study. Refractive error, dry eye, and exophoria were commonly associated in patients with dyslexia.