Oral and silent reading performance with macular degeneration

Previous studies have shown that reading rate for very large print (6 degre es, 1.86 logMAR character size) is a strong predictor of oral reading rate with low vision devices (LVDs). We investigated whether this would apply us ing large print sizes more readily available in clinical situations (e.g. 2 degrees, 1.4 logMAR), for subjects with macular degeneration. We assessed rauding rates-reading for understanding. A combination of near word visual acuity and large print reading rate (without LVDs) provided the best predic tion of oral rauding rates (with LVDs. However, near word visual acuity alo ne was almost as good. Similarly, silent rauding rate was predicted best by near word visual acuity alone. We give near visual acuity limits as a clin ical guide to expected oral and silent reading performance with LVDs for pa tients with macular degeneration. (C) 2000 The College of Optometrists. Pub lished by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.