Reading Performance and Eye Movement Patterns in Glaucoma
Mariana Chiba Ikeda, André M V Messias, Sérgio H Teixeira, Koiti U Hamada, André H Bando, Vinícius P L Nakamura, Tiago S Prata, Andrew J Tatham, Augusto Paranhos, Carolina P B GracitelliPrecis:
Glaucoma patients of similar age and educational level, compared with healthy individuals, exhibit a greater number of saccades and fixations during eye-tracked aloud reading, resulting in reduced reading speeds.
Purpose:
To evaluate reading performance in patients with glaucoma compared with controls using an eye tracker and to explore the potential confounding effects of patients’ contrast sensitivity and cognition.
Material and Methods:
A cross-sectional study was conducted with 111 participants (57 with glaucoma and 54 controls) with a Best-Corrected Visual Acuity of ≥0.5 logMAR. Cognition was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and contrast sensitivity was measured with the Freiburg Visual Acuity & Contrast Test. A reading performance evaluation was conducted using the Minnesota Low Vision Reading Test displayed on slides on a computer screen. Reading speed was calculated in words per minute, and an eye tracker was used to analyze saccade and fixation patterns during the reading task.
Results:
Mean age was 61.8 (± 11.6) and 66.5 (± 13.7) in the glaucoma and control groups, respectively (
Conclusions:
Patients with glaucoma exhibit poorer reading performance as evidenced by eye-tracker data compared with controls of similar age, cognitive function, and educational level.