Mobile app reading speed test

Alec Kingsnorth, James S. Wolffsohn*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Aim: To validate the accuracy and repeatability of a mobile app reading speed test compared with the traditional paper version.

Method: Twenty-one subjects wearing their full refractive correction glasses read 14 sentences of decreasing print size between 1.0 and -0.1 logMAR, each consisting of 14 words (Radner reading speed test) at 40 cm with a paper-based chart and twice on iPad charts. Time duration was recorded with a stop watch for the paper chart and on the App itself for the mobile chart allowing critical print size (CPS) and optimal reading speed (ORS) to be derived objectively.

Results: The ORS was higher for the mobile app charts (194±29 wpm; 195±25 wpm) compared with the paper chart (166±20 wpm; F=57.000, p<0.001). The CPS was lower for the mobile app charts (0.17±0.20 logMAR; 0.18±0.17 logMAR) compared with the paper chart (0.25±0.17 logMAR; F=5.406, p=0.009). The mobile app test had a mean difference repeatability of 0.30±22.5 wpm, r=0.917 for ORS, and a CPS of 0.0±0.2 logMAR, r=0.769.

Conclusions: Repeatability of the app reading speed test is as good (ORS) or better (CPS) than previous studies on the paper test. While the results are not interchangeable with paper-based charts, mobile app tablet-based tests of reading speed are reliable and rapid to perform, with the potential to capture functional visual ability in research studies and clinical practice.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)536-539
Number of pages4
JournalBritish Journal of Ophthalmology
Volume99
Issue number4
Early online date29 Oct 2014
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2015

Bibliographical note

This article has been accepted for publication in British journal of ophthalmology. following peer review. The definitive copyedited, typeset version Kingsnorth, A & Wolffsohn, JS 2015, 'Mobile app reading speed test' British journal of ophthalmology, vol 99, no. 4, pp. 536-539 is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjophthalmol-2014-305818

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