Purpose
To develop a numerical chart of reading (NCREAD) and evaluate near vision reading acuity (NVRA), reading speed (RS) and critical print size (CPS) in comparison to the commercial available option Minnesota Reading Test (MNREAD)
Methods
NCREAD was designed using the Latex [a]software with 15 lines ranging from 0.32 M to 8.0 M. Viewed at 40 cm, the logarith[b] of the minimum angle of resolution ranged from -0.1 to 1.3[c]. In[d] each line a 4 digit number was randomly generated (total of 60 numbers). NCREAD and MNREAD were tested in[e] 20 volunteers with[f] near binocular visual acuity varying from -0.1 to 0.0 logMAR and normal eye exam. NVRA, RS and CPS were evaluated. RS was analysed as characters per minute (CPM) and words per minute (WPM) aside from[g] syllabes per minute (SPM). All attempts[h] were recorded using a digital voice device to subsequent analysis under audacity software
Results
Maximum reading speed for MNREAD ranged from 848.04 to 1333.12 (1087.57 +/- 126.26) - CPM, from 1038.42 to 1607.50 (1331.07 +/- 151.34) - WPM and from 383.39 to 642.83 (496.70 +/- 65.29) - SPM. Maximum reading speed for NCREAD varied from 64.46 to 366.57 for CPM (242.51 +/- 62.22), from 1037.70 to 2479.54 (1511.78 +/- 323.78) - WPM and from 165.71 to 863.41 (515.48 +/- 143.16) SPM. CPS for MNREAD varied from 0.1 to 1.2 (0.5 +/- 0.3) logMAR for characters, from 0.1 to 1.2 (0.5 +/- 0.3) logMAR for words and from 0.1 to 0.9 (0.4 +/- 0.3) logMAR for syllabes. CPS for NCREAD varied from 0.1 to 1.0 (0.4 +/- 0.3) logMAR for characters, from 0.1 to 1.1 (0.4 +/- 0.3) logMAR for words and from 0.1 to 1.1 (0.5 +/- 0.3) logMAR for syllabes. Correlation betwen variables within charts[i] presented Pearson correlation coefficient (P) ranging from 0.1852 to 0.5318, from 0.2218 to 0.6239 and from 0.2259 to 0.7096 for CPS, WPM and SPM respectivelly. Tighter correlation was observed in smaller print size. Voice analysis presented a qualitative pattern change towards longer pause periods along the decreasing of the print size
Conclusions
A new chart (NCREAD) and analysis method (speech rate in syllables, characters and letters per minute) for evaluating reading speed was developed using number clusters[j]. The best correlation[k] coefficient (P) when comparing NCREAD to MNREAD charts was observerd in characters per minute in smaller print size sentences
Keywords: 672 reading •
754 visual acuity •
641 perception