An analysis of print sizes of South African newspapers in relation to prescription of reading devices for low vision patients

Abstract

One of the aspirations of many low vision patients is to read newspapers. Many low vision practitioners use 1M print (Snellen equivalent 6/15 at 40 cm or 6/24 at 25 cm) as the bench-mark for prescribing low vision optical devices for patients who wish to read newspapers. There are certain sections of the newspapers, however, with print sizes that are smaller than 1M, there-fore prescriptions based on 1M print size may present difficulties to the patient. The purpose of this study was to measure the smallest print sizes of selected sections of South African newspa-pers. Based on the print size values, advice could be provided for effective prescription of reading devices for low vision patients whose desire is to read all or specific sections of newspapers. Print sizes in eight sections of 38 South African newspapers were measured using a 7x measuring magnifier with graticle. The smallest print sizes in the various sections of the newspa-pers ranged from 0.6 mm or 0.4M (6/9.5 at 25 cm or 6/6 at 40 cm) to 1.9 mm or 1.3M (6/30 at 25cm or 6/20 at 40 cm). The mean sizes of the various sections of the newspapers ranged from 0.7 ± 0.18M for the advert section to 1.12 ± 0.07M in the news section. Reading device magnification established by using 1M print size as benchmark for prescrib-ing reading aids for low vision patients may not afford the visual capability needed to read all sections of a newspaper. Such patients, thus may experience difficulty when reading certain sec-tions of newspapers. There is therefore, a need for low vision practitioners to have a specific knowledge of the print sizes of the section of newspapers that the patient wants to read and prescribe for them accordingly.