Can chromatic text/background improve Arabic reading performance?

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Visual Science
• Color Vision

Background:

• Color perception significantly influences visual tasks, including reading.
• While color's impact on reading is known, its effect on Arabic orthography remains unexplored.
• Developing specialized charts is crucial for assessing vision disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and create a novel chromatic acuity chart for evaluating the impact of chromatic contrast on Arabic reading performance.
• To investigate the role of red-green (R-G) chromatic contrast in Arabic reading.
• To establish a tool for differentiating chromatic and achromatic sensitivity losses.

Main Methods:

• A new R-G chromatic acuity chart was designed using cone contrast principles and Pantone colors.
• The chart featured red text on a green background with controlled luminance (13.6 cd/m²).
• Reading performance (maximum reading speed, reading acuity, critical print size) was assessed in 15 healthy young adults and compared to an achromatic chart (BAL chart, 95 cd/m²).

Main Results:

• Maximum reading speed (standard-length words per minute) was comparable between the R-G and BAL charts (201 wpm vs. not specified, P < 0.05).
• Reading acuity (RA) was poorer with the R-G chart (-0.05 logMAR) compared to the BAL chart (-0.20 logMAR, P < 0.05).
• Critical print size (CPS) was significantly larger for the R-G chart (0.36 logMAR) than the BAL chart (0.17 logMAR, P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Reading performance, specifically critical print size and reading acuity, is reduced when text varies solely by red-green chromatic contrast.
• Arabic readers using the chromatic chart showed a decline equivalent to approximately two lines compared to a high-contrast achromatic chart.
• This chromatic acuity chart provides valuable data for developing clinical tools to assess differential chromatic and achromatic vision loss in patients.