Tablets help users with vision loss read faster and easier [Research]

In today’s digital world, good old books and magazines are now being replaced by digital content in the form of eBooks and articles on the web. Although some, including me, will say that eBooks can never replace real books, a new study reveals that the latter does have its own advantages. According to a recent study, tablets are helping people with eye diseases read faster and easier. The study, presented at the 116th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology yesterday, found out that people with moderate vision loss can increase their reading speed by 15 words-per-minute by using a tablet such as an iPad or a Kindle.

Moreover, researchers at the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School also tested 100 participants and found out that all of them improved their reading speed at least 42 words-per-minute on an iPad. The researchers also tested a older Kindle tablet on the participants and saw an improvement of 12 words-per-minute. The key advantage of tablets are its back-lit displays. “Reading is a simple pleasure that we often take for granted until vision loss makes it difficult,” said Daniel Roth, M.D., an associate clinical professor at Robert Wood Johnson School of Medicine. “Our findings show that at a relatively low cost, digital tablets can improve the lives of people with vision loss and help them reconnect with the larger world.”

Gene Ryan Briones
Categories: Tablets
Tags: iPad, Kindle