Often times when I’m reading, I’ll “see” words that are completely different than what’s printed. Sometimes it happens with text, sometimes it happens with signs. When it happens, it’s usually when I’m reading pretty quick (I average around 1000 wpm), or when I briefly glance at something. It doesn’t cause problems at all, usually just a, “huh?”, and then I reread it correctly. It can be pretty humerous somethimes, but usually it’s just annoying. I note a higher occurance when I’m tired, also.
For me, my dyslexia is less of a visual/reading issue than just input in general. The most obviousl sign of my dyslexia is that sometimes I will ask someone to repeat themself 3 or 4 times because, although I hear them, I just don’t process what I hear. When that happens, most of my friends/family know to make me turn to face them, so that I have the additional (visual) stimulus.
With regards to reading/writing – I have to hunt & peck (even though I still manage over 100 wpm) because I will use “s” for “c” and vice verse when it is the initial letter of a word every. single. time I know that I do it, I watch my fingers type it, and I still have to backspace and fix it every time. I also will type in words that have nothing to do with what I am saying – such as earlier in an email to my husband, I typed “At least we now have rock implemented documentation that we told her…” Rock implemented? I don’t know WTF that means, lol, but sometimes it is hilarious to me to proofread my own stuff. I also tend to type words completely fucked up – like in that email, I did notice while typing it, that I typed “documented” as “cudomented” first. These aren’t typos – they’re simply my brain not being able to communicate with the rest of me.
I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of your being dyslexic, but if you have no other symptoms (such as hearing comprehension or thought disruptions) then I would be more inclined to think it’s just somewhat normal or you could be scitopic (sp?) – which often masquerades as dyslexia, but is 100% a vision issue.
The testing is relatively easy, but very expensive, unless you happen to know someone trying to get their psych degree and doing a thesis
I tend to agree with Litoris that this is probably the cause of your poor reading. I know I have encountered the same things. The depth perception, tired eyes, and contrast problems. I am also a very fast reader. Self taught, way before I ever heard of Evelyn Wood. I wouldn’t worry, but read this site before you pay mega bucks for Dyslexia testing. Doog Kcul!
Thanks for the link – I knew for years that I was dyslexic, and only found out about scotopia when a friend’s mom used me as a guinea pig for her thesis on the condition. It’s really weird, and for years, I thought I was just a freak. Whenever I have to take vision tests, the contrast of the black letters on the white (something about the particular way they do it) makes me sick to my stomach – literally ill. The letters will appear blue to me and will move around, making it very difficult to measure my vision.
I never said anything about being a poor reader. I pretty much ace any comprehension test I take, even when reading upwards of 1,000 wpm.
I think it may be something going on with my peripheral vision, because I often think I see people out of the corner of my eye, when it’s actually a garbage can or something. I don’t actually “see” a person there, but it’ll catch my eye enough to look over and make sure it’s not. This one happens more often in low light situations.
And now that I’ve read your link, I tend to exhibit about 30% of the symptoms from it. Often times, LED digits on digital clocks will bounce. I even pointed it out to somebody once, “Hey, look, the clock is bouncing,” and they looked at my as if i were an idiot.
Anyone can see that effect under low light conditions. Your brain gives more attention to the small, bright numbers and less to the surrounding darkness, making the numbers appear to float. If you stick your tongue out and go “pthththth” they will seem to vibrate, although it’s actually your head vibrating.
My bad. I didn’t mean to say “poor reading”, but “unclear reading on first glance”.
I understand this phenomenon very well. I will see a sentence on first reading and say to myself “the hell is that supposed to mean?”, then reading it slower, I get what I misread. This happens to me a lot, partly because I read too fast , I suppose, and partly because my peripheral vision is skewed.
Good point, do you think glare from the plastic would cause a similar effect to low light?
Also, some other symptoms that may be related, if I’m running and can’t see the ground (fly ball, catching a kicked rugby ball), I get very dizzy pretty qucikly. Not dizzy like spinning around, but dizzy like a roller coaster in my tummy.
Another is what I would think are bigger than average “tracers”, like the kind you might see on a sparkler. I get them quite often in good lighting on things that aren’t moving very fast at all.
