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Defeating Dyslexia

Written by: James Dicks

Article Overview: James Dicks examines his personal fight with Dyslexia and what and helped him overcome the challenges of Dyslexia

Defeating Dyslexia

On my way into work today and I heard a news report where Hollywood actor, Tom Cruise, revealed that the teachings of the Church of Scientology helped him beat dyslexia. Cruise said at the age of seven he was diagnosed as having this language-based learning disability that can include problems in reading, spelling, writing and pronouncing words.

He said, "Nobody gave me a solution and I wanted to know why the system had failed. Finally, as an adult I learned to read perfectly through the method of [Scientology's late founder] L. Ron Hubbard."

In the United States, researchers estimate the prevalence of dyslexia to range from three to ten percent of school-aged children, and are more common in boys though some have put the figure as high as 17 percent.

I think this is fantastic that yet another person has overcome this sometimes debilitating disorder and I should know since I was diagnosed with it in the early 80’s. I wish it had been sooner. I had all the classics symptoms; poor spelling, placing decimal points in the wrong place and making basic number switch mistakes. It was difficult for me to read, I would become bored, had headaches, my level of comprehension was extremely low and the words were blurry and hard to read. I could easily look at a magazine article and lose focus.

But I, like Tom Cruise, did learned to read perfectly, and even better. I now read at an average rate with 100% comprehension level. Best of all I didn’t have to follow the teachings of Scientology to do it. Great for Tom but its probably not for everyone. Let me share my story on dyslexia in the hope that it will help someone else, pay it forward I ask you do the same.

I remember heading out on the town one night and while riding in a friend’s car I grabbed his Ray-Ban sunglasses that had a yellow tinted lens in them like a shooting safety glass color. I put them on and as I looked at the road signs coming up I was amazed at how clear they were and how big and bold the letters on the signs appeared. I asked my friend what type of prescription he had and to my amazement he laughed and said there was no prescription. I couldn’t believe it! Seriously it made that much of a difference, and this was well before I had any idea of about my dyslexia. I certainly struggled through school and had all the classic symptoms. In fact, I had made it through to my late teen years before ever really reading a book from front to back.

I actually borrowed my buddy’s sunglasses and began wearing them all the time; I still have them today. He may still want them back - hope he isn’t reading this. My uncle saw me wearing them one day and asked me why I was wearing them indoors so I began to tell him the story and he smiled. He began to tell me about The Irlen Method.

The Irlen Method is the only research-based color method backed by over 4,000 school districts. Used by educators since 1983, this patented method and color-based technology was discovered by Helen Irlen, MA, LMFT, the nation's leading expert in perceptually-based reading and learning difficulties.

The Irlen Method is a non-invasive, patented technology that uses colored overlays and filters to improve the brain's ability to process visual information. It is the only method scientifically proven to successfully correct the processing problems associated with Irlen Syndrome.

My uncle then told me that both my cousins were tested and had started using their color lens. He offered to pay for me to go for the tests. It was a little harder back then because I had to travel to get tested but it was definitely worth it. The testing was very easy and it worked. To my amazement, I ended up with a pair of glasses with a red lens, no prescription. I remember reading several books shortly after getting my glasses, including Clear and Present Danger by Tom Clancy, a 700 plus page book, and I was so excited. It was certainly the biggest book I had ever read cover to cover and all because of the research from Helen L. Irlen - thanks Helen.

If you would like to learn more or get tested then visit her site at http://irlen.com. Today they make it much easier for testing and will actually come to your home; it’s inexpensive but it’s priceless. Okay enough with that I am not selling her services I don’t need to they sell themselves, what I am saying is that you can spend a few hundred dollars and teach yourself to read versus following the teachings of scientology.

Here is another example. The other day I was at lunch with a friend of more than 15 years. We were working on a project and he was telling me how bad his eyes were killing him and that he had a headache. We started talking and I told him about the Irlen Method, I gave him my sunglasses which had a color tent, and told him to look at his computer screen he was amazed like it was the first time. I told him to go to an office supply store get a few color report covers, the see through ones, and place them over the text to see if it made a difference. I saw him the next week and he told me he got the colored sheets and was using them to put over his computer screen and explained that he was able to read more than he has ever read before and called Irlen and that they were coming to his house to test him and his younger son. He is now a believer for sure.

By the way, if you don’t have dyslexia it really won’t make any difference to you when looking through color sheets or lenses. Here is an example; if I put a news article into your word program we would see the same thing - or would we? We wouldn’t but if I told you to change the font size from say eight point to ten point and then make it bold that’s what I would be seeing when I put on colored lenses with no prescription, truly amazing.

Recent studies indicate that dyslexia is particularly prevalent among small business owners, affecting roughly 20 to 35 percent of U. S. and British entrepreneurs. Researchers theorize that many dyslexic entrepreneurs attain success by delegating responsibilities and excelling at verbal communication.

Other world renowned celebrities who suffered from dyslexia are Richard Branson (entrepreneur ), John Chambers (CEO of Cisco), Keira Knightley (actress), Jay Leno (talk show host and comedian ), Guy Ritchie (film director), Orlando Bloom (actor), and many more.

Pay it forward -

All my best,


James Dicks

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