Effect of Vertical Interline Spacing on Word Recognition and Reading Speed using the Peripheral Retina

Alannah O’Connor Price, BOrth&OphthSc(Hons)
Meri Vukicevic, PhD
Department of Clinical Vision Sciences, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of increasing the spacing between sentences upon word recognition speed and word recognition accuracy when using the peripheral retina. By identifying optimal interline spacing for patients with central field loss, this could determine guidelines for best presentation of written materials in the presence of central scotoma. Seventeen participants with no ocular pathology were recruited and asked to read words with their fovea and peripheral retina (at 6 degrees from the fovea) whilst their fixation was monitored using an infra-red eye tracker. Whilst improvement in reading speed can be gained by increasing interline spacing to 1.5x when reading with the fovea, there is no effect (or detriment) of manipulating interline spacing when reading with the peripheral retina. There is also no effect on word recognition accuracy.