The effects of coloured light filter overlays on reading rates in age-related macular degeneration

Frank Eperjesi*, Colin W. Fowler, Bruce J.W. Evans

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the effect of coloured light filter overlays on reading rates for people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Method: Using a prospective clinical trial design, we examined the null hypothesis that coloured light filter overlays do not improve reading rates in AMD when compared to a clear filter. Reading rates for 12 subjects with non-exudative AMD, associated with a relative scotoma and central fixation (mean age 81 years, SD 5.07 years) were determined using the Rate of Reading Test® (printed, nonsense, lower case sans serif, stationary text) with 10 different, coloured light filter overlays (Intuitive Overlays®; figures in brackets are percentage transmission values); rose (78%), pink (78%), purple (67%), aqua (81%), blue (74%), lime-green (86%), mint-green (85%), yellow (93%), orange (83%) and grey (71%). A clear overlay (Roscolene # 00) (360 cdm-2) with 100% transmittance was used as a control. Results: ANOVA indicated that there was no statistically significant difference in reading rates with the coloured light filter overlays compared to the clear filter. Furthermore, chi-squared analysis indicated that the rose, purple and blue filters had a significantly poorer overall ranking in terms of reading rates compared to the other coloured and clear light filters. Conclusion: Coloured light filter overlays are unlikely to provide a clinically significant improvement in reading rates for people with non-exudative AMD associated with a relative scotoma and central fixation. Copyright © Acta Ophthalmol Scand 2004.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)695-700
Number of pages6
JournalActa Ophthalmologica Scandinavica
Volume82
Issue number6
Early online date3 Dec 2004
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2004

Keywords

  • age-ralted macular degeneration
  • coloured light filter overlays
  • light filters
  • reading rate

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