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Updated: Dec 1, 2025
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Published on: February 29, 2012
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Reconciling print-size and display-size constraints on reading
Nilsu Atilgan1, Ying-Zi Xiong1, Gordon E Legge2
1Department of Psychology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455 nilsuatilgan@gmail.com yingzi@umn.edu.
Summary
Reading on digital screens is limited by display and print size. A minimum number of characters per line, 13 for normal vision and 8 for low vision, is crucial for optimal reading speed.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Vision Science
- Usability Engineering
Background:
- Reading performance is constrained by both print size and display size.
- These constraints create challenges for normally sighted individuals on small digital displays and for low-vision readers using magnification.
- A unified framework is needed to evaluate the combined impact of these factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate a unified framework for assessing the joint impact of print size and display size constraints on reading performance.
- To determine the minimum number of characters per line required for efficient reading across different visual abilities and digital formats.
Main Methods:
- Reading speed was measured as a function of print size.
- Experiments were conducted on three digital display formats: laptop, tablet, and cellphone.
- Participants included 30 normally sighted individuals and 10 individuals with low vision.
Main Results:
- A minimum of 13 characters per line is necessary for normally sighted readers to achieve 80% of their maximum reading speed.
- A minimum of 8 characters per line is required for low-vision readers to achieve the same performance level.
- These critical character counts remained consistent across different fonts and digital display formats.
Conclusions:
- The number of characters per line is a critical factor in digital reading performance, independent of display type.
- Combining character count requirements with print size needs highlights how small displays or magnification can restrict optimal reading conditions.
- Understanding these constraints is vital for designing accessible digital reading experiences.
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