Effect of Type-Font on Reading Performance in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Abstract

Purpose: : The requirements for reading with peripheral vision are different from those for reading with central vision. The aim of this research was to identify the influence of four common type-fonts on reading performance in people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods: : Twenty-four people with normal vision and 19 patients with AMD participated. Four versions of the MNRead charts were printed using common type-fonts: 1) Times New Roman (proportional spaced, serif), 2) Courier (mono spaced, serif), 3) Arial (proportional spaced, sans serif), and 4) Andale Mono (mono spaced, sans serif). All tests were done binocularly. Reading measures were: reading acuity, critical print size, and maximum reading speed.

Results: : For people with normal vision, Andale Mono yielded the best reading acuity (-.17 ± .05 logMAR), critical print size (.05 ± .11 logMAR), and maximum reading speed (233.06 ± 41.69 wpm). With this chart, the largest proportion of people (83%) read the full sentence at the smallest print size (20/13). In all measures, people with normal vision had the worst performance with the Times New Roman font. Patients performed best for the majority of measures on the Courier chart: it yielded the best reading acuity (.56 ± .17 logMAR), critical print size (.70 ± .20 logMAR), and the second fastest maximum reading speed (104.22 ± 61.43 wpm). Patients read more lines on the Courier chart than on any other charts. Patients read fastest on Andale Mono charts (107.12 ± 56.57 wpm). In all measures, patients with AMD performed the worst with the Arial chart.

Conclusions: : Reading performance of patients with AMD benefits from mono-spaced and serif type-font.

Keywords: age-related macular degeneration • low vision • reading