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Reading acuity in children: evaluation and reliability using MNREAD charts
Gianni Virgili1, Claudia Cordaro, Anna Bigoni
1Eye Clinic II, Department of Oto-Neuro-Ophthalmological Surgical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy. gianni.virgili@unifi.it
Insights
The MNREAD chart reliably measures reading acuity in children, comparable to standard distance acuity tests. It also accurately assesses maximum reading speed, showing consistent results across different grade levels.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Pediatric Eye Care
- Visual Science
Background:
- Assessing reading acuity in children is crucial for educational and developmental progress.
- Standardized charts are needed to ensure reliable and comparable measurements of reading performance.
- The MNREAD chart offers a comprehensive assessment of reading ability, including speed and clarity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the reliability of the Italian version of the MNREAD reading chart for assessing reading acuity in children.
- To compare the MNREAD chart's measurements with established visual acuity tests.
Main Methods:
- 116 children (grades 3-8) with normal near vision participated.
- Visual acuity was measured using Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) charts.
- Reading acuity and speed were assessed using the MNREAD chart in a test-retest design.
Main Results:
- MNREAD measurements showed reliability comparable to ETDRS charts for visual acuity.
- Maximum reading speed measurements were highly reliable across all grades.
- No significant impact of grade level or refractive error on measurement reliability was observed.
Conclusions:
- The MNREAD chart is a reliable tool for measuring reading acuity in children.
- It provides dependable assessments of maximum reading speed, valuable for pediatric eye care.
- MNREAD chart reliability is on par with standard distance acuity measurements.
Purpose:
To study reading acuity in children and assess the reliability of its measurement using the Italian version of the MNREAD reading chart.
Methods:
One hundred sixteen children from grades 3 to 8 with normal near vision were tested at a pediatric eye care institution in northeastern Italy. Visual acuity was evaluated with Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) charts and reading acuity with MNREAD charts. Examination with charts 1 and 2 by the same examiner in the same visit were used as test-retest measurements.
Results:
Mean improvement of performance from grades 3 to 8 was approximately 1 line for ETDRS acuity and 1.5 sentences for reading acuity and critical print size. Mean maximum reading speed increased from 96 to 167 words/minute. Regression analysis showed that a stable reading speed was obtained throughout sentences of decreasing size up to the critical print size. Measurement error, expressed as 95% limits of agreement, was +/- 0.136 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) and +/- 0.142 logMAR for ETDRS acuity and reading acuity, respectively. Critical print size had the lowest reliability (+/- 0.193 logMAR). Maximum reading speed limits of agreement were +/- 0.077 logarithm of words per minute (logWPM), or a 19% change in words per minute. There were no detectable effects of grade and refractive error on measurement errors.
Conclusions:
In children, MNREAD charts provide measurements of reading acuity as reliable as ETDRS chart measurements of distance acuity on a logMAR scale. They also provide highly reliable measurements of the maximum reading speed across all grades, independent of its noticeable increase.
