Reading performance in children with low vision

PURPOSE: While educators and optometrists are concerned with reading efficiency in children with low vision, in most low vision assessments, children's reading performance is assessed only by a brief evaluation of reading fluency. We examined the relationships between clinical vision measures and reading performance in children with low vision. METHODS: Subjects were 71 students with low vision, aged seven to 18 years. The vision and reading performance measures were: high contrast distance visual acuity, contrast sensitivity using both the Pelli-Robson and LH symbol charts, near text visual acuity and reading rates on a range of print sizes. RESULTS: Most children achieved maximum reading rate at print sizes between 2.5 and seven times larger than threshold print size. Maximum reading rate increased significantly with age and near visual acuity. There was no significant relationship between reading rate and contrast sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of children with low vision can achieve near normal reading rates with magnification. Age is the strongest predictor of reading rate in children with low vision. They need print sizes well above threshold to achieve maximum reading rate. Routine contrast sensitivity testing of visually impaired students is not indicated for reading assessment.