有色镜片是否能改善阅读障碍？
有色镜片和透光彩色片可用于 治疗阅读障碍 与其它阅读及学习相关障碍。
近二十年来，为提升阅读舒适度和表现，佩戴有色眼镜在大众媒体和学术界里广为流传。越来越多的患者和家长向眼科神经发现视光师咨询关于有色镜片的详情。Meares和 Irlen曾叙述，暗光敏感症候群 (scotopic sensitivity syndrome) 或娥兰 症候群(Irlen Syndrome)患者可利用有色镜片，来减轻视觉症状和扭曲现象。有色镜片可以提升阅读能力和视觉感知；增加阅读时间；消除不良症状，如光线敏感、眼睛疲劳、头疼、视觉模糊、跳字跳行（不知自己看到哪个位置）、分泌泪水等。
现有研究对有色镜片之效能的评估：
研究表明，许多娥兰症候群患者具有潜在视觉症状，即可容易识别的视觉功能异常，如眼部调节、双眼视觉、眼球运动等方面的障碍。4-7 更多的是，当他们佩戴了合适的眼镜、棱镜，或进行神经视觉治疗后，视觉便恢复正常。这之中，甚至有些患者的视觉症状消失。他们不再被归类为娥兰症候群，也不用再佩戴有色眼镜。
大多研究并没有认真检视受试者的视觉问题，例：眼部调节、双眼视觉、眼球运动等方面的障碍。大部分研究员仅以受试者之前的眼科检验结果为准。即便有制定评估视觉问题的准则，却没有实际测试受试者的视觉问题。3, 15-19
然而，关于有色镜片的效能，受控研究所显示的结果大不相同。一项随机对照的实验表明，阅读困难的孩童在使用有色眼镜后，眼睛没那么疲劳。不过，研究员指出颜色须根据个人情况来决定。另一项研究则显示，蓝色镜片可以显著性地提升阅读障碍儿童的眼球运动技能。在理解能力方面，受试者在佩戴有色眼镜后，没获得任何改善。
个人因素和环境因素（如家里和课室的灯光有差）会影响有色镜片的效能。没有一个颜色（镜片）可以为所有患者提供最好的治疗效果。研究报告指出，孩童在佩戴有色眼镜的第一年，有25%的几率是需要反复调整的。
有色镜片的效果不仅是种安慰。虽然有色镜片不能根治 阅读障碍 阅读障碍，但就阅读困难而言，是个有效的辅助工具。
娥兰症候群的潜在生理机制依旧不得而知。有的说是巨细胞缺失，有的则说是眩光问题。
因此关于诊断娥兰症候群的方法，至今都没能达成共识。有的建议使用Irlen 2-part evaluation system，有的则说要用 Intuitive Colorimeter，但这两个检验仍需要更多的研究支持。
视觉处理是阅读过程中最基本的需求。未来，潜在的视觉功能异常、阅读障碍的子类型、不同类型治疗的差别反应必须被概括在研究范围内。严谨的临床研究，会为阅读及学习障碍的患者、他们的父母、相关专业人士，带来更准确的评估结果，进而改善治疗效果。
所以，美国验光协会的立场是:
1. 未被诊断的视觉问题可能是引起娥兰症候群症状的因素之一。所以，具有阅读或学习的困难，或面临视觉问题的人，都应该接受 眼科神经视觉发展功能检验（NDVE） ，其概括眼部调节、双眼视觉、眼球运动等。这项检验适合于所有正面临着阅读或学习苦难的人，也适用于那些发现自己似乎在视觉上有问题或缺陷的人。
2. 美国眼科学会鼓励更多的研究，以找出在阅读方面，特制的有色眼镜对视觉功能异常的疗效。
3. 视觉问题 是导致阅读困难的常见因素。忽略视觉的重要性，或针对阅读困难而做了不恰当的视觉检验，会造成患者没办法获取合适的治疗机会。
这份文献由美国验光协会下的双眼视觉组出版，参与其中的有以下几位：
Gary J. Williams, O.D., Chair
Gregory Kitchener, O.D.
Leonard J. Press, O.D.
Mitchell M. Scheiman, O.D.
Glen T. Steele, O.D.
美国验光协会已同意于2004年4月
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