Choosing the right font can make a significant difference for people with dyslexia, as certain typefaces are designed to improve readability and reduce the visual stress often experienced with standard fonts.
Fonts like OpenDyslexic, Dyslexie, and Arial are known for their unique features—such as heavier bottom portions, distinct letter shapes, and increased spacing—that help distinguish each letter and prevent them from flipping or rotating in the reader's perception.
These fonts aim to make reading a smoother, less frustrating experience for those with dyslexia. Read this blog to learn more about selecting the best font for dyslexic readers.
Let’s get straight to the point
This blog highlights how certain fonts, specifically designed for dyslexic readers, enhance readability by reducing common reading challenges.
Dyslexia-friendly fonts like Dyslexie, OpenDyslexic, and Lexia Readable use design features such as thicker letter bases, unique letter shapes, and increased spacing, which help prevent letter flipping and merging. Fonts like
Verdana and Comic Sans are also recommended for their clear and distinct letterforms.
The blog advises using sans-serif fonts with high letter differentiation, generous spacing, and simple, left-aligned layouts to reduce reading stress.
Design elements, such as font size, bold headers, ample white space, and non-glossy, soft-coloured backgrounds, further improve readability for dyslexic readers. By combining dyslexia-friendly fonts with accessible design choices, reading can become more inclusive and manageable for people with dyslexia.
Recommended Fonts For Dyslexic Readers
Several fonts have been specifically designed to assist readers with dyslexia. Each has unique features to support visual clarity.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia was created to improve readability for dyslexic readers. This font has thicker letter bases and exaggerated letterforms, making it easier to differentiate characters. Dyslexia is widely used in educational materials for students with dyslexia.
Gill Dyslexic
Christian Boer designed Gill Dyslexic as an alternative to dyslexia, created with similar goals. This font features thicker bases and reduced similarity between characters. While not as common as dyslexia, it provides an affordable option for users.
Read Regular
Developed by Natascha Frensch of London's Royal College of Art, Read Regular focuses on clear, distinct letterforms. The font has long ascenders and descenders and generous spacing. Though currently not widely available, it's used by select publishers.
Lexia Readable
Lexia Readable, created by K-Type's Keith Bates, updates the Comic Sans family with improved clarity. Available for public use, it's an accessible option for older audiences. It's broad letter spacing, and visible distinctions help dyslexic readers of all ages.
Sylexiad
Sylexiad was designed by Robert Hillier specifically for dyslexic adults. It has wide spacing, clear strokes, and longer ascenders and descenders. Hillier's design is based on his research into what works best for dyslexic readers.
Comic Sans
Though not created for dyslexia, Comic Sans is often recommended due to its readability. Unlike traditional fonts, Comic Sans has variable character heights and simple letter shapes. This font allows for easy differentiation between similar-looking letters, supporting dyslexic readers.
Verdana
Verdana's design considers readability at smaller sizes and on screens. Its larger x-height and wider tracking make it ideal for dyslexic readers. Verdana avoids overly similar letter shapes, ensuring each character stands out.
Sassoon
Sassoon was originally designed for young readers. Its exaggerated letter forms help children learn letter shapes. This font is available through specialised vendors and is highly effective for educational settings.
Font Styles That Support Dyslexic Readers
Fonts vary significantly in letter height, weight, and shape. Sans-serif fonts, which are simple and lack decorative strokes, are commonly used for readability.
Fonts such as Verdana and Arial are popular sans-serif choices. They are designed for screen readability and perform well in smaller sizes. Verdana, in particular, is often recommended for dyslexic readers because of its larger spacing and uncluttered appearance.
Key Font Design Elements For Dyslexia
- Sans-Serif Style: Simple sans-serif fonts, like Arial and Comic Sans, support readability by eliminating extra decorative elements.
- Clear Differentiation of Letters: Fonts that emphasise the unique shapes of each letter, such as differentiating "I" and "l," reduce confusion.
- Distinct Ascenders and Descenders: Fonts highlighting differences between letters like "b" and "p" help dyslexic readers recognise words accurately.
Specifications For Dyslexia-Friendly Fonts
To create accessible text, pay attention to key font and design choices:
- Font Size: Use a font size between 12 and 15 points.
- Capitalisation: Avoid overusing capitalisation, as it can make text harder to read.
- Text Emphasis: Avoid italics and underlining; bold text is preferable for emphasis.
- Headers: Make headers at least 20% larger than the body text, and consider using bold.
- Column Width: Keep text aligned left within 45–75 characters.
- Tracking and Leading: Avoid tightly spaced text to prevent letter blending.
- Paper Choice: Use matte paper and avoid glossy finishes for printed materials.
Adapting Typefaces For Dyslexia
Font designers can help dyslexic readers by creating fonts that minimise common reading errors. Key design adjustments include:
- Thicker Bases on Letters: Adding thickness to the bottoms of letters aids orientation and reduces mirroring.
- Increased Apertures: Enlarged openings within letters (e.g., "o" and "e") enhance readability.
- Extended Ascenders and Descenders: Lengthened elements like the tops of "b" and "d" help dyslexic readers distinguish characters.
Using these techniques, designers can create fonts that reduce the likelihood of character confusion, especially with mirrored letters.
Text Layout And Structure For Dyslexia
When creating dyslexia-friendly content, layout and structure matter as much as font choice. Use consistent headings and simple layouts to make navigation easier.
- Headings: Structure content with clear headings. For distinction, use bold headers at least 20% larger than the body text.
- Justification: Align text to the left and avoid fully justified text to prevent uneven spacing.
- Column Widths: Limit lines to 60–70 characters per line, and avoid multi-column formats where possible.
- White Space: Use ample space to separate text sections, making content more digestible.
Colour Considerations For Dyslexic Readers
Colour choices can also impact readability:
- Background Colour: Avoid pure white backgrounds; soft shades like cream or pastel are preferred.
- Text Colour: Ensure strong contrast between the background and text, using dark colours for text.
- Avoid Red and Green: Avoid red/pink and green combinations for readers with colour vision impairments.
- Matte Paper: When printing, use matte paper to reduce glare and enhance readability.
Other Dyslexia-Supporting Fonts
- Dyslexie and OpenDyslexic: Dyslexie and OpenDyslexic feature exaggerated letter shapes, distinctive bases, and broad spacing to improve readability. These fonts support letter recognition by avoiding common dyslexia triggers, like mirroring and merging.
- Lexia Readable: This font, available for public use, combines large ascenders and descenders with generous spacing, enhancing legibility for readers of all ages.
- Sylexiad and Comic Sans: Sylexiad and Comic Sans offer dyslexia-friendly designs through unique letter shapes, simplified forms, and ample spacing. These fonts maintain clarity by minimising character similarity.
Conclusion
Selecting the appropriate typeface can greatly enhance the reading experience for individuals with dyslexia. While dyslexia-friendly fonts like Dyslexie, Lexia Readable, and Verdana are designed for maximum readability, layout and structure are equally important.
Use consistent headings, avoid overly tight spacing, and select appropriate background colours to support dyslexic readers. Ultimately, by combining accessible fonts with thoughtful design, we can make reading more inclusive.
FAQs About Dyslexia
It's linked to genes, which is why the condition often runs in families. You're more likely to have dyslexia if your parents, siblings, or other family members have it. The condition stems from differences in parts of the brain that process language.
There are many forms of dyslexia, and not everyone diagnosed with it experiences reading this way. But seeing nonexistent movement in words and seeing letters like "d", "b", "p", and "q" rotated is common among people with dyslexia.
Though there's no cure for dyslexia, early assessment and intervention result in the best outcome. Sometimes dyslexia goes undiagnosed for years and isn't recognised until adulthood, but it's never too late to seek help.
You probably will read slowly and feel that you have to work extra hard when reading. You might mix up the letters in a word — for example, reading the word "now" as "won" or "left" as "felt." Words may also blend together, and spaces are lost. You might have trouble remembering what you've read.
In fact, despite reading ability, people who have dyslexia can have a range of intellectual abilities. Most have average to above-average IQs, and just like the general population, some have superior to very superior scores.