has anyone else experienced that, when reading something on the computer screen, it becomes much easier to read when you highlight the line that you are reading?

if so, what visual deficit is this related to? any thoughts on how to train eyes to be more acutely focused on the correct text (if this is a focus issue)?

The likely problem is how your brain filters out irrelevant sensory stimulation. A normal brain will be more able to ignore the text above and below the line. The injured brain struggles to do that. Many have this problem. If highlighting works for you, great.

highlighting works but it's not a great long term solution - some stuff you just can't highlight very well (like pdfs for instance). have you tried any other tricks to accommodate?

Yes. "Zoom" the text.

what do you mean? just zoom into it? do you end up sitting further form the screen so it isn't too large?

the point of this being that fewer lines are visible?

On my computer I can just use Command and the + sign at the same time and the text is larger. Command and - sign to make it smaller again.

If you're having trouble reading here, you can also change the Quick Style Chooser down near the bottom of the page. Some style backgrounds are coloured and that may help you.

On a different note... my son had visual processing problems when he was young. It was very difficult for him to read words on a page of text whether that be on paper or on computer. Changing the colour of the background helped some, but I cut out a piece of cardboard with a space in the middle the size of a line. That enabled him to read the words/lines without interference from all the other text on the page. When reading books we did the same idea with a ruler or with a piece of card, so that it just highlighted the one line at a time.

At one time his teachers even started using different coloured chalk on the board in class. Different colours for different sections instead of everything being in white chalk on a green or black background. e.g. blue for homework. green for math etc.. It worked a charm and not just for my son but for all the children.

Obviously he was very young and it's probably not very practical for you to do that but changing background colour can be very helpful.

So, highlighting makes a lot of sense. It's just a bit time consuming I would imagine.

I found it easier to read with certain colors of sunglasses on, as well my OT gave me see through colored paper, sorry I cannot think of the word today but its used to separate sections in a binder some times, can get them at staples wal mart etc.. I found a light blue helped me. There is ones you can stick to your computer, I dont know the specific mechanism that causes this but I am working on a program called computerized vergance exercises to strengthen my eyes. Hope this helps at least a little..if your interested I will find the programs actual name

thanks for your response! if you could find the program's name that would be really helpful. thanks.

ITs by HTS called HTS Home Vision therapy program, I had to see an opthamologist who sent me to an orthopist, who eventually gave me the paperwork to order the program, if you google home vision therapy it should come up. I don't know if there is different programs for different systems etc but it has a list of eye doctors you could use