Abstract
Purpose: :
To investigated on reading ability in the hyperopic children.
Methods: :
Subjects were 40 children between 6 years and 9 years of age. Children were all native Japanese speaker.No subjects had ocular abnormalities other than ametropia. All could read letters at 20/20 level. All were tested binocularly using the Japanese version of the MNREAD reading chart (using Japanese kana letters).Investigation 1 - effect of refraction. In two groups of ten subjects, non-hyperopic children and hyperopic children, reading acuity, maximum reading speed and critical print size(CPS) were compared. Spherical equivalent of non-ametropic children ranged from -1.75D to +2.5D (average:0.22±1.26). Spherical equivalent of hyperopic children ranged from +6.0D to +9.5D(average: 7.56±1.28).Investigation 2 - effect of reading training. Two groups of ten subjects, one with reading training ("Plus"group:More than six months, 5 min/day, practice to read books aloud) and one without ("Minus"group), reading acuity, maximum reading speed and CPS were compared. Mann-Whitney U-test were used for statistical analysis.
Results: :
Investigation 1: Average of reading acuity was -0.17±0.11logMAR with non-ametropic children and -0.08±0.09logMAR with hyperopic children. Average of CPS was 0.03±0.11logMAR with non-ametropic children and 0.13±0.17logMAR with hyperopic children. There were no significant difference in reading acuity or CPS between the two groups (p>0.05).Average of maximum reading speed was 239.74±82.83 char /min with non-ametropic children, 217.53±55.40 char/min with hyperopic children. Maximum reading speed with hyperopic children was slower than non-ametropic children (P <0.05).Investigation 2:Average of reading acuity was -1.30±0.10logMAR with Plus group and -0.08±0.12logMAR with Minus group. Average of CPS was 0.16±0.18logMAR with Plus group and 0.15±0.15logMAR with Minus group. There were no significant difference in reading acuity or CPS between the two groups(p>0.05). Average of maximum reading speed was 211.07±70.16 char/min with Plus group and 160.30±38.12 char/min with Minus group. Maximum reading speed with Plus group was faster than Minus group (P <0.05).
Conclusions: :
Presence of hyperopia had negative effect on maximum reading speed in children. However, reading training may have good effect on maximum reading speed in hyperopic children.
Keywords: hyperopia • reading • visual acuity