MNREAD

Functionality & Mechanism

Developed at the University of Minnesota, the MNREAD system is a digital reading acuity assessment. The interface presents standardized sentences across 14 print sizes, with options for text polarity. Administration involves the subject reading sentences aloud while an operator records reading time. The system then automatically calculates and graphically displays four primary performance parameters: Reading Acuity, Critical Print Size, Maximum Reading Speed, and the Reading Accessibility Index. Data can be recorded and exported for clinical or research purposes.

Evidence & Research Context

• A validation study (N=43) in individuals with low vision established that the app yields equivalent measures of Maximum Reading Speed, Critical Print Size, and Reading Accessibility Index compared to the printed chart.
• In the same study (N=165 normally sighted participants), the app produced slightly slower Maximum Reading Speed estimates (3-12% slower for faster readers), a difference attributed to the digital timing methodology.
• The app integrates the Reading Accessibility Index (ACC), a metric developed and validated using data from a cohort study of 321 older adults with and without cataracts.
• The ACC metric demonstrates a stronger correlation with reading-related instrumental activities of daily living (r=-0.60) than with standard visual acuity (r=-0.22), reflecting real-world reading performance.

Intended Use & Scope

This tool is designed for vision scientists, ophthalmologists, and optometrists to quantify visual reading performance. Its primary utility is the standardized measurement and tracking of reading metrics for prescribing optical corrections or evaluating low-vision aids. The system is an assessment aid and does not provide diagnostic or treatment recommendations; interpretation requires professional clinical judgment.