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Reading speed, ease increase with use of digital tablets
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CHICAGO — Digital tablets allow for an increased reading speed and ease of reading in patients with moderate vision loss, according to a press release.
“Reading is a simple pleasure that we often take for granted until vision loss makes it difficult,” Daniel Roth, MD, lead study author, said in the release. “Our findings show that at a relatively low cost, digital tablets can improve the lives of people with vision loss and help them reconnect with the larger world.”
The study, presented at the joint meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology, was conducted at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Jersey. Roth and colleagues examined 100 participants who had a loss of central vision from eye diseases such as macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.
Study participants read on devices such as the Apple iPad and the Amazon Kindle. According to the release, these devices increased reading speed by an average of 15 words per minute.
Participants gained at least 42 words per minute when using the iPad and an average of 12 words per minute when using the Kindle.
Participants whose vision was 20/40 or worse in both eyes showed the most improvement in reading speed when using either device compared with print.
Roth and colleagues believe the back-illuminated screen of the iPad was the key to significantly improved reading speed.