| |  There is part in our brain V1 (primary visual cortex) that has a stripe pattern. Thanks to this wiring system, we
subliminally find balance, it gives us a visual grid that let's our sight
hold- and rest onto vertical and horizontal elements in our
environment, providing us with a visual stability. (see topic: 5.2 Visual Grid and the Origin of Ocular Dominance Patterns in V1)
 Everywhere around us, we
find this 'grid-like' natural structure of vertical and horizontal
elements, formed by plants and trees growing straight towards the sun,
and the force of
gravity that pulls everything to the ground (spirit level).
|  |  Text is also build-up out of a horizontal alignment systems, a vertical text-line that is the basis for letters that have vertical structure, that forms a grid that can be easily processed thanks to the wiring pattern in V1. | | | 
| |  Some types of dyslexics have a weaker alignment system caused by a slightly different LGN (see topic: 3.2 Dyslexia and LGN), a relay part of our brain that process the information received in our eyes and sends it on to the primary visual cortex (V1) in the back of our brain. Due to this slight deviation, they can receive a bit more visual information to process in their striped patterned, primary visual cortex (V1), causing them to have a not so well balanced alignment system when it comes down to detailed activities such as reading.
 Text is buildup out of lines, which are in our eyes captured by 'Rods' in contrast to 'Cones' who process color (see topic: 2.1 The Retina: Rods and Cones) and these 'Rods' also define our peripheral view. The deficit in the LGN influences mainly the processing of the visual information collected by 'Rods' in our peripheral view, causing our alignment system to be less tight.
| | | For example when we look at the optical illusions below we can see that the disturbed order of the elements cause optical deformations. |
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|  | Displacement of the cubes causes a narrowing effect.
This is something some Dyslexics experience because of a weak alignment.
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| The yellow lines that are based on the separate 'cones-processing' part of our brain, give a clear and stable alignment.
Result: The optical instability is reduced. | | |  We could use the same solution for having a more stable view for dyslexics with a weak peripheral view, by applying horizontal - yellow alignment lines over a text. But the problem is that reading is an activity also based on motion, this visual process is also part of the 'Rods' visual capturing system.
| | | | An effective solution is to physically reduce peripheral view with the help of some glasses (frame only) to decrease the amount of information V1 has to process, giving relief and more focus on details such as text. | |  Our external alignment elements such as vertical- and horizontal alpha regions help us to stabilize our head and touch of the boundaries of the page. Providing us with a visual hold-on, grip, balance and the ability to focus more steadily on the text. Like geographical lines that are drawn on a map, markings on the road, etc. creating order (see previous topic: 1.5 Different alignment gives a different view)
| | Small test: Count the F's in the following statement:
+++++++ ++++++++++++++++++++
FINISHED FILES ARE THE RE-
SULT OF YEARS OF SCIENTIF-
IC STUDY COMBINED WITH THE
EXPERIENCE OF YEARS...(see below) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Managed it ? Scroll down only after you have counted
them, okay? Do you think there are three?
How many ? 3? Wrong, there are 6 !!--no joke.
Read it again.
The reasoning behind is further down.
The brain cannot process "OF".
Incredible or what ? Go back and look again!! The reason
according to the 'alignment' theory is that we align horizontally or
vertically when we read with the 'F' in the Middle of the word. This
makes it's characteristics disappear (see image below).
| | More about 'alignment' see: 1.5 Different alignment gives a different view
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The
purpose of this site is to present questions and new ideas about
the above subjects.
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