Clues to dyslexia found in structure of the eye

New research has found that dyslexic adults have structural differences in their fovea.

Researchers examined the fovea of 60 adults, including 30 adults with dyslexia. They found that the blue cone-free areas at the centre of the fovea are asymmetrical in adults without dyslexia, but form matching patterns in the eyes of people with the condition.

The University of Rennes study is published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Adults without dyslexia have a circular spot on the fovea of their dominant eye and an oblong shaped spot on the non-dominant eye.

In contrast, those with dyslexia have circular spots on both fovea and neither eye is dominant. Each eye produces a slightly different image, which has the potential to confuse the brain.

The authors conclude: "The interplay between the lack of asymmetry and the development in the neural maturation of the brain pathways suggests new implications in both fundamental and biomedical sciences."