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A Standardized Arabic Reading Acuity Chart: The Balsam Alabdulkader-Leat Chart
Balsam Alabdulkader1, Susan J Leat
1School of Optometry and Vision Science, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Summary
The Balsam Alabdulkader-Leat (BAL) chart is the first standardized Arabic near-visual-acuity chart. It demonstrates high agreement and is recommended for accurate Arabic reading performance measures in research and clinical settings.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Optometry
- Vision Science
Background:
- Accurate assessment of near visual acuity is crucial for diagnosing and managing vision impairments.
- Standardized charts are essential for reliable and comparable measurements in clinical and research settings.
- Existing near-visual-acuity charts may not be suitable for the Arabic language, necessitating the development of culturally and linguistically appropriate tools.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate the first standardized Arabic continuous text near-visual-acuity chart, named the Balsam Alabdulkader-Leat (BAL) chart.
- To assess the reading acuity (RA) and reading speed (standard-length words per minute - SLWPM) using the BAL chart.
- To compare the performance of the BAL chart with established English near-visual-acuity charts.
Main Methods:
- Three versions of the BAL chart were created using previously validated Arabic sentences.
- Reading acuity and reading speed were measured for 86 bilingual adults with normal vision using the BAL charts and three English charts (MNREAD, Colenbrander, Radner).
- Statistical analyses, including analysis of variance and Bland-Altman plots, were used to compare measurements and assess agreement.
Main Results:
- The BAL chart demonstrated high interchart agreement for both reading acuity and reading speed.
- Statistically significant differences in average reading acuity between BAL chart versions were not clinically significant.
- The BAL chart showed comparable performance to English charts, with a calibrated equivalence of 0.7 log-point size at 40 cm to 0.00 logMAR.
Conclusions:
- The Balsam Alabdulkader-Leat (BAL) chart is a reliable and valid tool for assessing near visual acuity in Arabic.
- The chart exhibits high agreement among its versions and with established English charts.
- The BAL chart is recommended for accurate near performance measures in Arabic for both research and clinical applications.
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