The Truth About Dyslexia Supports: Why Overlays, Fonts & Fidget Toys Often Fall Short

When people think of dyslexia support, they often picture coloured overlays, special fonts, or fidget toys. They’re easy to hand out, simple to implement, and give the impression that something helpful is being done.

But the truth is: for most dyslexic people, these tools don’t make much of a difference.

As someone who’s severely dyslexic, I’ve tried many of them myself. And while the intention behind them is good, they often miss the mark, offering surface-level support when deeper, personalised strategies are what’s really needed.

So let’s talk about the tools that look helpful… but don’t always deliver.

🎨 Coloured Overlays: Help for Some, Not Most

Coloured overlays are transparent sheets placed over text to reduce visual stress. They’re one of the most commonly recommended tools, but here’s the reality:

Visual stress (also known as Meares-Irlen Syndrome) affects only a small percentage of dyslexic individuals, often estimated at around 5–10%.

That means the vast majority of dyslexic people are unlikely to see any real benefit.

Speaking personally, I’ve tried plenty of overlay colours over the years, and not one of them ever improved my ability to read or process information. The only time I’ve found them helpful was during long stints on a computer, where they reduced eye strain.

• Useful for comfort? Sure. 

• Life-changing dyslexia support? Not quite.

Overlays can be a helpful add-on for a few, but they’re not a core solution, and they certainly don’t address the language-processing challenges at the heart of dyslexia.

🔤 Dyslexia Fonts: Good Intentions, Poor Outcomes

Specialised dyslexia fonts like Dyslexie and OpenDyslexic are designed with quirky shapes and extra spacing to reduce letter confusion. You’ve probably seen them promoted as “dyslexia-friendly.”

But the evidence and my personal experience, tells a different story:

Studies have shown no consistent improvement in reading speed or comprehension when using dyslexia fonts over standard fonts.

And for me? They actually make reading harder. I find them distracting and uncomfortable to look at.

That’s exactly why Pro Dyslexic uses clean, widely tested fonts like Poppins and Helvetica. They’re simple, accessible, and we’ve had excellent feedback from users who find the site easier to navigate and read.

Sometimes, less really is more.

📏 Reading Rulers & Line Guides: Help for Focus, Not Fluency

Reading rulers, often brightly coloured or transparent strips, are designed to help readers stay on the right line of text. They’re most commonly used in classrooms, especially with younger children or those with attention difficulties.

And they can be helpful in those specific contexts.

They work by narrowing the visual field, helping the brain focus on smaller chunks of information at a time. For some people, that can reduce distractions or visual overwhelm, especially if tracking lines is a challenge.

But here’s the catch:

• They don’t teach you how to read. 

• They don’t improve decoding. 

• And they don’t build core literacy skills.

Like overlays, they can offer short-term focus, but not long-term fluency. They support the mechanics of looking at text, not the process of understanding it.

If you find them helpful for keeping your place or reducing visual clutter, use them. But they shouldn’t be mistaken for a reading intervention.

🎮 Fidget Tools & Blue-Tac: Sensory Aids, Not Solutions

Fidget tools, resistance bands, and blue-tac on desks. These sensory aids are now common in both classrooms and workplaces. They’re designed to support self-regulation, attention, and focus, particularly for those who are neurodivergent, including people with ADHD or sensory processing differences.

And yes, they do help some people feel calmer, more grounded, and more focused.

But here's what often gets missed: They’re not dyslexia-specific. And they’re not a substitute for targeted support.

The problem comes when they’re handed out instead of real help, or without understanding why they’re being used at all.

Some people benefit from having something to do with their hands while concentrating. But others find it distracting or even frustrating. It’s highly individual.

If a sensory tool helps you stay engaged while working or reading, great, keep it. But it should never be seen as support. It's just one piece of a much bigger puzzle.

🕒 Extra Time: A Helpful Start, But Not Enough Alone

When it comes to accommodations, extra time is probably the most well-known. It’s routinely offered in schools, exams, and increasingly in workplace assessments. And for many people with dyslexia, it’s a welcome lifeline, a chance to work at their own pace without the pressure of the clock.

But here’s the challenge:

If you don’t know how to approach the task, more time doesn’t fix the problem; it just extends it.

Imagine having 30 more minutes to stare at a question you still don’t understand. Or more time to write when you’re already stuck trying to get your thoughts down in the first place.

Extra time can be powerful if it’s combined with the right strategies:

• Planning and structuring written work

• Using assistive technology

• Learning how to manage cognitive load

It’s a good first step, but only one piece of a much larger support system.

🎭 Token Gestures vs Real Support

One of the biggest problems with many of these tools is that they become symbolic gestures, not real solutions.

They create the appearance that something is being done. A coloured overlay on the desk, a special font on a worksheet, or a fidget toy in hand, it all looks supportive. But when it comes to real outcomes, like reading fluency, written expression, or confidence at work, very little changes.

Token gestures can be more harmful than helpful, because they delay or distract from the support that’s actually needed.

They can leave dyslexic individuals feeling even more frustrated. Not just because the tool doesn’t work, but because it reinforces the message: “This should be enough. If you’re still struggling, the problem must be you.”

We need to move away from checkbox thinking and toward support that actually shifts the dial.

✅ So What Actually Helps?

It’s time we shifted the focus to evidence-based, impact-driven support.

Here’s what consistently works for most dyslexic people:

• Structured literacy programmes (e.g. Sounds-Write, Orton-Gillingham methods)

• Assistive technology (text-to-speech, speech-to-text, mind-mapping tools)

• Flexible workplace adjustments (clear instructions, chunked tasks, verbal options)

• Coaching and mentoring (that builds confidence and self-understanding)

• Support that plays to strengths (problem-solving, creativity, and verbal fluency)

These are the tools that change outcomes, not just appearances.

💬 Final Thoughts

Some tools like overlays, fonts, or fidget aids do help a small percentage of people, and that’s totally valid. But for the vast majority of us, they’re not enough.

They give the appearance of support without addressing the root of the problem.

At Pro Dyslexic, we focus on what actually works, practical, personalised, and proven strategies that make a real difference.

If you’re ready to leave the gimmicks behind and find support that sticks, we’re here. Contact Pro Dyslexic today and get the support that actually works.