Transforming lives with coloured lens technology

Thousands of people from around the world have already had their lives transformed by using coloured lenses to help them read in comfort.

Now a new business collaboration involving the University of Essex could mean even more people could benefit from this life-changing technology.

The Intuitive Colorimeter is able to accurately, easily and quickly prescribe tinted lenses to help individuals with visual stress-related reading problems and associated medical conditions.

Designed and developed by visual stress expert Professor Arnold Wilkins, from the University’s Department of Psychology, the Intuitive Colorimeter can offer thousands of colour variations to offer a bespoke solution to people who suffer headaches, blurred vision, discomfort or word movement while reading.

Via an innovative Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), Professor Wilkins and colleague Dr Martin Colley teamed up with Cerium Visual Technologies Ltd, who manufacture and distribute the Intuitive Colorimeter, to help improve the technology even further for prescribing the tinted lenses. For the first time ever, a fully digital system has been developed.

KTPs support UK businesses wanting to improve their competitiveness, productivity and performance by accessing the knowledge and expertise available within UK universities and colleges.

The Intuitive Colorimeter is the result of extensive research by Professor Wilkins into the use of colour filters to help a range of neurological conditions such as autism and migraines which are all linked to a different range of issues but all have visual stress in common. The Colorimeter is currently used by hundreds of optometrists around the globe to help patients of all ages to be able to read in comfort.

As Professor Wilkins explained, there is a growing awareness about the big impact this technology is having on people’s lives.

“I have had positive feedback from many patients; from a young boy who said he could now read the whiteboard at school to adults who have suffered head injuries and strokes and are helped to read again, It is very rewarding,” explained Professor Wilkins.

“The KTP project has been a wonderful opportunity to take this research to the next stage. The project has been very close to my heart. This is a true UK innovation which is being sold around the world and I am pleased the project has been given the recognition it deserves.”

• If you are interested in exploring a KTP with us please contact Rob Walker, KTP Manager, at r.walker@essex.ac.uk or call 01206 874076.