Stephen John Loew

Stephen John Loew
  • PhD
  • Research Associate at University of New England

About

24
Publications
10,935
Reads
How we measure 'reads'
A 'read' is counted each time someone views a publication summary (such as the title, abstract, and list of authors), clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the full-text. Learn more
159
Citations
Introduction
I am a biological scientist whose key research interests focus on the nature of Meares-Irlen/Visual Stress syndrome, the overlap of symptoms with ADHD and other neurological disorders, and the effects of increasingly brighter/bluer lighting upon literacy & learning in general. I have conducted novel studies examining biophysical and genetic factors in Visual Stress (as a researcher who also has the condition). I am interested in openings to expand upon this research in Australia and/or abroad.
Current institution
University of New England
Current position
  • Research Associate
Additional affiliations
December 2018 - present
Federal University of Minas Gerais
Position
  • Research-Partner
Description
  • Ongoing eye-tracking research and publications. LAPAN Research-Team: https://lapan.com.br/equipe/
May 2018 - present
University of New England
Position
  • Research Associate
Description
  • Ongoing research studies and publications
May 2016 - May 2018
University of New England
Position
  • Research Associate
Description
  • Ongoing research and publications

Publications

Publications (24)
Article
Full-text available
Prior investigations of scotopic sensitivity or Meares-Irlen syndrome have identified several features also found in attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, and a subtype of dyslexia in which visual recognition is the primary deficit. In particular, anomalies in lipid metabolism, including low essential fatty acid status...
Article
Full-text available
Algunos síntomas del Síndrome de Estrés Visual/Meares-Irlen son similares a los informados por individuos con síndrome de fatiga crónica (SFC). Se evaluó la incidencia de nueve síntomas ampliamente reconocidos de estrés visual (EV) en un grupo de sujetos (n = 20) con síndrome de fatiga crónica. La presencia de cada síntoma de EV en el grupo con SFC...
Article
Full-text available
Abstract: Visual stress (VS) affects reading in 5-12% of the general population and 31-36% of children with reading disorders. Symptoms include print distortions and visual discomfort when reading, and are exacerbated by fluorescent lighting. Prior research has indicated that VS can also affect proficient readers. We therefore examined levels of vi...
Article
Full-text available
This study analyzed the effects of spectral overlays on ocular motility during reading among a clinical group of children and adolescents experiencing visual–perceptual distortions of text. We reviewed the records of 323 eye-hospital patients diagnosed with visual stress and divided this participant sample into two age-based cohorts: children (n =...
Article
Full-text available
Visual Stress reportedly affects 5-12% of the general population and 20-30% of people with dyslexia. Symptoms are characterized by visual discomfort and perceptual distortions when viewing lines of text, and can be exacerbated by fluorescent lighting and bright paper. In this study, nursing students reported their levels of visual discomfort while...
Article
Full-text available
Abstract This study analyzed the effects of spectral overlays on ocular motility during reading among a clinical group of children and adolescents experiencing visual–perceptual distortions of text. We reviewed the records of 323 eye-hospital patients diagnosed with visual stress and divided this participant sample into two age-based cohorts: child...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
The visual-processing disorder Meares-Irlen Syndrome, or Visual Stress (VS), is believed to be caused by visual cortex hyperexcitability (visual sensory-overload) and reportedly affects reading efficiency in 5-12% of the general population and 20-30% of dyslexics. VS-symptoms include distortions or 'movement' of text and visual discomfort/fatigue w...
Article
Full-text available
The acquisition of reading comprehension abilities and written expression is one of the key factors among learning processes in which students show many difficulties. For this reason, it is necessary to implement effective intervention strategies from early school years. The program EPI.com is aimed at improving lexical, semantic, and syntactic pro...
Presentation
Full-text available
Expanded Abstract - Proceedings of the 7th Brazilian Congress of NeuroVision, pp.48-51: Sociedade Brasileira de Neurovisão (SBNV) & Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), September 12 - 13, 2019, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Article
Full-text available
Un alto porcentaje de adolescentes con trastorno por déficit de atención con o sin hiperactividad (TDAH) no consigue resultados académicamente satisfactorios, debido, entre otras razones, a la poca organización en el estudio y el desconocimiento de técnicas y recursos para abordar las tareas escolares. El objetivo de este trabajo es conocer y mejor...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
The visual processing disorder Meares-Irlen Syndrome, or Visual Stress (VS), is believed to be a predisposition to visual cortex hyperexcitability (visual sensory-overload), and reportedly affects reading efficiency in circa 12% of the general population and a third of all individuals diagnosed with reading disorders. Symptoms include blurring, dis...
Article
Full-text available
A high percentage of adolescents with Attention Deficit Disorder [with or without Hyperactivity (ADHD)] fail to become academically successful because, among other reasons, they have poor study-organisation and lack the skills and resources to tackle homework. The aim of this study was to first determine and then improve the study habits and skills...
Presentation
Full-text available
Invited Symposium Coordinator: [5 presentations of collaborative research studies from Australia, Spain, and Malaysia]. Title of Symposium: “Reading Learning Disabilities and Visual Stress in the Classroom: - Time for a New Perspective?” Coordinator: Loew, S.J. - By invitation of the 8th International Congress of Psychology and Education, June 15-1...
Chapter
Attention Deficit with Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent disorders in childhood and affects about 5% of school students. ADHD is characterized by three main symptoms: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity. These deficits suggest a problem in the voluntary control of behavior that is generally associated with executive...
Chapter
Dyslexia is one of the most common problems in childhood, even affecting adult population, and its prevalence situates between 5% to 17% of school-age children, according to different studies (Katusic, Colligan, Barbaresi, Schaid, & Jacobsen, 2001; Shaywitz & Shaywitz, 2003). This is important since reading disabilities have shown to be an importan...
Article
Full-text available
In this review, we discuss the historic evolution of ADHD research up until the present, and explain the actual theoretical models of writing in relation to ADHD and attention. Given the characterization of writing as a recursive process, and in order to show its relationship with attention disorders , examples of applicable writing models are also...
Article
Full-text available
A key stimulus behind the present review has been the growing debate among educational researchers, politicians and the general public concerning apparent declines in the literacy and numeracy levels of school students. Recent years have also witnessed a plethora of research by educational psychologists investigating the underlying causes of key le...
Article
Several diagnostic symptoms of the visual-processing deficit Meares-Irlen/Visual Stress Syndrome are remarkably similar to symptom manifestations reported by individuals with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). We surveyed the specific incidences of nine widely-recognised symptoms of visual stress (VS) in a group of subjects (n = 20) previously diagnos...
Article
Full-text available
APPROACH: In recent years there has been much discussion in educational psychology journals concerning the incidence of school students in developed nations with inadequate literacy and numeracy skills. There has also been evolving debate as to whether these vital skills have actually been declining in Western countries. Thus, a hypothesis is prese...
Conference Paper
Full-text available
Previous investigations of the visual-perception disorder scotopic sensitivity syndrome (SSS), also known as Meares-Irlen syndrome, have identified several clinical features of symptom manifestation which are strikingly similar to those found in attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We surveyed the incidences of nine widely-recognised s...
Chapter
Full-text available
The visual-perception disorder scotopic sensitivity syndrome (SSS), also known as Meares-Irlen syndrome is a form of visual system hyperexcitability which reportedly affects between 5% and 12% of the general population and between a quarter and half of individuals with dyslexia. The condition affects reading, writing and visual-attention abilities....

Network

Cited By