Abstract
Purpose :
To explore the role of text presentation (rapid serial visual presentation/RSVP or scrolling) on reading rate and reading acuity in patients with central vision loss(CVL) and normally-sighted controls with simulated CVL(simCVL).
Methods :
CVL patients (n=9) had binocular central scotomas and a mini mental state exam score≥24. Scotomas and preferred retinal locus(PRL) for each eye were determined with MAIA microperimetry and fixation analysis. SimCVL controls(n=12) used 4° inferior eccentric viewing, enforced with an Eyelink eye tracker. Observers read aloud 4-word phrases presented at 60cm viewing distance. Six font sizes (0.8-1.3 logMAR) were tested with the better near acuity eye and both eyes of CVL patients. Three font sizes (0.5-1.0 logMAR) were tested binocularly in simCVL controls. Text presentation speed was varied with a computer staircase to find the reading rate, defined as 50% of words read correctly. Normal distribution for reading data was confirmed, and factor differences between the within-subject means explored. Reading acuity was defined as the smallest font size at which the subject could read at least one phrase in the first five trials. In a subset of CVL patients(n=7), relationships between better eye PRL eccentricity, reading threshold and rate was explored using Wilcoxon sign rank.
Results :
SimCVL controls demonstrated significantly faster reading rates for RSVP than scrolling text, p=0.05. There was a significant difference between font sizes, p<0.01, with no interaction between font size and text presentation p=0.61. CVL patients demonstrated no significant differences in reading rate between font sizes, p=0.28, text presentation, p=0.47 or interaction between font size and text presentation, p=0.60. When reading with the better eye, there were no significant differences in reading rates across font sizes, p=0.24, between the text presentation, p=0.46, and no interaction between font size and text presentation, p=0.60. Reading acuity for RSVP and scrolling significantly worsened with increasing PRL eccentricity m=6.5°, p=0.018. Mean reading rate significantly decreased with increasing eccentricity, p=0.028.
Conclusions :
Consistent with previous work, reading acuity worsened with increasing PRL eccentricity. RSVP and scrolling text presentations significantly affected reading rate in simCVL, but not in CVL patients, thus, behaviors documented in simCVL may not predict CVL behaviors.
This is a 2020 ARVO Annual Meeting abstract.