Vision loss is a condition that millions of people face every day when they deal with eye diseases like macular degeneration or retinopathy caused from diabetes that presents a lack of light sensitivity to the retina of the eye and affects vision. The function of the eye is to relay images to the optic nerve and then sends them on to the brain. The condition is treated with glasses, medication and surgery but once those options no longer work, an ophthalmologist’s only recourse is to help the patient get the most they can out of their sight suggesting visual aids.
It used to be that only lighted magnifiers that are often inconvenient, get in the way, or are just too bundlesome for the patient to use, was about the only way to offer extra lighting. That is no longer the case since digital tablets have come into existence and can be used as a great reading aid.
Studies have shown that patients who have eye diseases that have affected their central vision can benefit and even regain some ability to read faster and easier by using the digital reading tablets that exist on the market today. It was revealed in the studies that even with moderate vision loss, patients could increase reading skills by as much as 15 words per minute when using a tablet with a lighted screen. The research is being presented at the American Academy of Ophthalmology this week, which is great news for tablet manufacturers as well as patients experiencing vision loss.
During the research of 100 participants, Apple’s iPad proved to be very effective when used at an 18pt font and allowed an increase of 42 words per minute compared to reading a print book or newspaper. When testing the same group with the Kindle tablet set to the same font, only 12 more words were achieved.
Due to the difference in the backlit screens, experts believe that the iPads illumination is the key to the significant increase in reading speed for the patients although the new Kindle Fire HD is equipped with a better backlit screen than earlier versions. Contrast sensitivity is improved with the lighting and allows patients to see objects as separate objects and to better recognize shades of gray. When low vision is a factor, contrast sensitivity is highly affected, therefore, the backlit screens of the tablets is very beneficial to people with this condition.
Doctors believe that we take reading for granted until vision loss starts becoming a factor in life when vision is affected by disease. For a minimal cost to the patient, digital tablets are offering improvement to people’s lives, giving them a sense of security, dignity, and keeping them connected with what is going on around them.
