New Hand-Held Magnifier Technology improves Reading Speed and Volume in Visually Impaired Adults

Visually impaired adults who struggle with reading due to slow reading speed with spectacle-based near correction may find relief in hand-held, illuminated optical magnifiers, according to a recent study published in Optometry and Vision Science Journal.

Hand-held magnifiers have been recommended for short-duration spot reading tasks. However, this study suggests that they are also effective in improving sustained, continuous text reading such as books or magazines, which has not been widely recognized by vision rehabilitation providers and patients.

Hand-held, lit optical magnifiers were distributed to 29 visually impaired persons who completed the sustained silent reading test by phone without the new magnifier at baseline and one month later. The participants' reading speed in words per minute (wpm) was calculated from the time taken to read each page, and the results were compared to the baseline reading speed without the magnifier.

The study concluded with the following key takeaways:

1. Mean reading speed improved by 14 words per minute (wpm) on average across participants after using the magnifier for 1 month.
2. Maximum reading speed also improved by 18 wpm on average across participants after using the magnifier for 1 month.
3. Participants with slower baseline reading speeds without the magnifier showed significantly greater improvements in both mean and maximum reading speeds on average with the magnifier.
4. A significantly greater number of pages were read with the new magnifier compared to without it.
5. Participants who read fewer pages at baseline or had greater improvements in mean reading speed also read significantly more pages with the magnifier.

"These findings highlight the potential of hand-held magnifiers to improve reading rates for visually impaired adults, especially those who struggle with slow reading speed despite near correction with spectacles," said Dr. John E. Kaminski, the lead researcher of the study.

Further research and awareness among healthcare providers and patients could lead to improved access to this assistive technology for visually impaired individuals, empowering them to read more comfortably and efficiently.

Reference:

Kaminski, John E. OD, FAAO; Yoshinaga, Patrick D. OD, MPH, FAAO; Chun, Melissa W. OD, FAAO; Yu, Megan BS; Shepherd, John D. MD; Chan, Tiffany L. OD, FAAO; Deemer, Ashley OD, FAAO; Bittner, Ava K. OD, PhD, FAAO; and the BeST-AID Study Team. Value of Hand-held Optical Illuminated Magnifiers for Sustained Silent Reading by Visually-Impaired Adults. Optometry and Vision Science ():10.1097/OPX.0000000000002013, March 22, 2023. | DOI: 10.1097/OPX.0000000000002013