Question
Thanks a lot, especially since some people would have insisted that they
already knew everything about how to answer the question. To answer your
own questions -- yes, I am in the U.S., Massachusetts, actually, and still
studying Asian history in college, and not ready for a job yet.

The person who recommended Irlen lenses to me as a possible way to treat
noise sensitivity was a young, inexperienced therapist at a summer camp for
disabled people in Newport, Rhode Island, callled Shake-A-Leg. She was not
very knowledgable about Ilren Lenses either, nor was she sure of herself. I did
have some good experience there, even though there were flaws and even
though their primary specialty is in young adults with spinal cord injuries,
which I do not have. They go in for holistic medicine there. The practicioners
seemed to be honorable and straightforward. A Feldenkrais practioner, in
particular, urged me not to causally dismiss Irlen lenses, and seemed
fascinated by my noise sensitivity. Sometimes it is all I can do not to become
outraged in noisy places, talking of shooting speakers, smashing tapedecks
and beheading noisy people. When I was younger, before I learned (some)
self-control, I used to get in lots of trouble at school from noise intolerance.
The one time I was suspended, it was for shorting out a boom box by spitting
water at it. The people had ignored my repeated requests to turn it down.

I would welcome any data your could find about this from advocacy agencies
and the like. It is hard to know which of them will answer, and which are too
busy. I would be more skeptical about the lenses, except that my own crude
tests -- with and without cheap red glasses -- seem to show that I am much
more relaxed in noisy places when I wear them, with muscle tension and
irritability less. For the first time, I can stay for hours in raucous restaurants
and bars without crawling up the walls, without feeling like an angry samurai,
without making threats and rude demands for silence.
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The text above is a follow-up to ...

-----Question-----
Hello, and thank you for your willingness to answer questions. I hope you are
well. I have a question, and trust you to provide an impartial answer, because
otherwise it is difficult not to be confused by rumors. I am a high-functioning
23-year old man with nonverbal learning disability, as well as moderate
cerebral palsy, and also prosopoagnosia. I am very well adapted, except for
trouble tolerating loud noises -- which cause intense rage. Someone says
that red Irlen lenses would help me tolerate loud noises, but I am unsure
wether to believe these claims. Some say the Irlen Institute is too
comercialized, and since I do not have actual autism, it is unclear wether the
lenses would be of any help. My own crude trials with cheap non-perscription
red glasses have been encouraging, but the cost of professional testing and
perscription would be high because I am very nearsighted. If, for example, I
were to ask the opinion of the Irlen Institute, they might just tell me what I
want to hear. Do you think I should believe claims about Irlen lenses enough
to pursue them further?
Thanks very much.
-----Answer-----
Hi Julian,

I decided to take your question because it touches on the need people with
disabilities have to wade through all the claims of what is "good for us".  I do,
however, think you will want to take anything I say with a grain of salt, since I
am not a professional in the medical or rehabilitation or related fields.  I am
just a writer on the topic of disabilities and employment issues, really.

I have a couple questions after looking around for a little while to find out
about Irlen Syndrome and so forth as I was entirely unaware of it before..
being honest to a fault with you here.  I will read further and follow up, but
for starters, I am seeing that the Irlen Method is described as being a way of
dealing with a visual disability, not noise sensitivity, though I do see that it is
experimental with certain forms of autism.  I would be curious to know where
you heard recommendations for it for noise sensitivity.

My other question is whether government programs can be persuaded to
cover the evaluation for the Irlen Method by reason that it improves your
employability?

Now for your question.  There is debate about the Irlen Method.   The two
camps that seem gaga about it are the Irlen Institute and the media.. not very
confidence inspiring, but not necessarily an indictment.  The primary
skepticism about it seems to be that it is not proven.  See this part of an entry
in Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irlen_syndrome#Skepticism

If it was me.. I would see a qualified unbiased professional to see if he or she
would recommend the method, would write you a referral - are you in the US
or elsewhere?  There must be an agency that certifies claims like the
Institutes.. I will keep looking.

I would also find consumer groups and see what sort of experience they have.  
I can help you find them and do that too.

If you are like me you have heard all the whizbang advances that are going to
"cure" us.. and been accused of being "negative" when we are skeptical.

Finally, what I question most is that this method is intended for auditory
response at all.  It is specifically, as I understand it, meant to quell
distractions and false impulses visually by removing glare and such.  I don't
see how that would have any effect at all on noise.

I will look further, but I would be skeptical at this point.. but ask someone
with more expertise, please.  I don't want to steer you wrong.

Nan Hawthorne

Answer
Julian, I promise I did not forget you.

I have been looking around for information specific to the impact of Irlens lenses on sensitivity to noise.  The best I could find was that this sensitivity can be a side effect of the soctopic aspect of Irlens syndrome.  That is, it's your sight, not your hearing, but if you can't process both paths of information, you can have strong reactions to, say, loud noises.

See this article on ADD Forums:
http://www.addforums.com/forums/printthread.php?t=28969

I still think you need to speak to a professional on this.  They can best advise you if you are a candidate for the lenses.  You might contact the Irlens people.. they may not charge for the assessment.  I know you are concerned that they will tell anyone coming in the door they need their services in order to make money.  Your professional should be aware if they have that reputation.  If they are a huge and recognized institution, they are probably not going to pull that sort of scam.  Probably.

Good luck!

Nan Hawthorne

When you say wholistic approach you mean treating the emotional and spiritual in addition to the physical and mental, correct?  I'm afraid that's where my "open mind" starts to close up.. though I will apply my favorite saying here... "It's a fine thing to have an open mind, but not so far open your brains fall out."

I find that while the general theory of looking at "the whole person" sounds sensible too often people into "alternative" therapies are just to lacking in discrimination and too accepting of claims  that the latest New Age treatment is effective.  Not to get hung up on this topic, though you DID ask my opinion, I wonder why when that industry has the most access to backers for research, etc. they ever have since the Road to Wellness took place, they just aren't doing it and are specifically at times blocking government control of quality, etc.

So I am going to be skeptical here.  If that sort of organization is recommending or backing it, I'd look long and hard before sinking dollars into it.

It may be that the dark glasses are relieving you of tension unrelated to but contributing to your noise sensitivity.  IN that case, I can't see how it can be anything but a good thing.  What I would want to know is what is special about the Irlens lenses that make them better than just dark glasses?

Does UV protection have anything to do with it?  I have a form of macular degeneration and we are prone to problems with glare.  I have used UV shield glasses from sightconnection.com  or .org and liked them.

I am still looking into this... and will get back to you.  I have a considerable research and writing project tomorrow so please hang on and be patient.

Nan