Sight Infographic

How autistic and neurodivergent people experience visual input differently - from light sensitivity and visual overload to pattern perception and depth processing.

Visual processing refers to how the brain interprets information received through the eyes. For many autistic and neurodivergent people, visual input can be processed more intensely, inconsistently, or in ways that differ significantly from neurotypical experience.

Common experiences

• Sensitivity to bright lights, fluorescent lighting or sunlight
• Difficulty filtering out visual background noise in busy environments
• Strong pattern recognition and attention to visual detail
• Depth perception differences affecting spatial awareness
• Visual stress when reading text on white backgrounds

Practical adjustments

Simple changes can make a significant difference: using warm or dimmable lighting, providing coloured overlays for reading, reducing visual clutter in workspaces, and allowing the use of sunglasses or tinted lenses indoors.

Who is this for?

Employers, educators, healthcare professionals, parents and carers, and anyone supporting neurodivergent people in daily life.