Table 1. Description of outcomes in studies.
| Study | LVAs compared | RS measurement | Reading acuity | Reading duration | Subjective preference for specific devices | Quality of life | Other outcomes reported but not included in this review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Culham 2004 | 4 electronic head-mounted versus participant's aids or spectacles | Small (N5), typical medium (N10) and large (N20) print size | Bailey-Lovie charts | Reading accuracy, contrast sensitivity (Pelli Robson), daily living tasks: grocery identification (seconds), writing checks (seconds) | |||
| Eperjesi 2004 | Coloured versus clear filter overlays | Rate of Reading Test (print size 4- to 18-point) | not available, but not relevant for filters which do not magnify text | ||||
| Goodrich 2001 | Hand-held CCTV, stand-mounted CCTV versus prescribed optical aid | 1M text (typical print size at 40 cm) | Cumulative time spent reading | Questions on subjective preference | Reading comprehension | ||
| Kleweno 2001 | Head-mounted display versus standard CCTV | Next largest size close to near acuity (MNREAD electronic version) | MNREAD charts | Single question on preference in terms of brightness and clarity | Different contrast/colour condition for cathode ray tube or virtual retinal display | ||
| Ortiz 1999 | Head-mounted display (LVES) versus CCTV | News articles MNREAD | MNREAD charts | Reading comprehension | |||
| Peterson 2003 | Head-mounted display, handheld CCTV, standard CCTV versus the participant's optimum conventional optical magnifier | MNREAD reading speed across several print sizes available in figure | MNREAD-like charts | Single question on subjective ease of use of each magnifier on a 5-step scale | Ability to read specific print sizes (0.2 - 1.0 log-MAR); navigate a text, follow a route on a map, reading medicine bottle label | ||
| Spitzberg 1995 | Mirror, prism or zoom optical magnifiers versus conventional magnifier (same magnification) | 1M or 1.5M print (ordinary print size at 40 cm) | Preference for a specific device | Note: magnification was standardised at 3x for all devices | |||
| Smith 2005 | Custom or standard bilateral prism spectacles versus conventional spectacles | MNREAD reading speed “at the critical print size” | MNREAD charts | MLVQ measuring helpfulness and use | NEI-VFQ25, MLVAI | ||
| Stelmack 1991 | CCTV, illuminated stand magnifier, spectacles | Readers Digest (silent reading) | Reading time without visual discomfort | Reading comprehension | |||
| Watson 2005 | Hybrid-diffractive spectacle magnifier compared with a refractive spectacle magnifier and an aplanatic spectacle magnifier (2 separate experiments) | MNREAD maximum RS with each reading aid; Pepper Visual skills for Reading Test | MNREAD charts | Self report of satisfaction with reading using a visual analogue scale | Reading accuracy, Morgan Low Vision reading Comprehension Assessment |
CCTV: closed circuit television
RS: reading speed
NEI-VFE: National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire
MLVAI: Melbourne Low-Vision ADL (Activities of Daily Living) Index
MLVQ: Manchester Low Vision Questionnaire