Vision changes that may occur in Parkinson’s can have a big impact on everyday activities like reading. Slow or delayed eye movements (saccades) can reduce reading speed. Difficulty focusing the eyes (convergence insufficiency) can result in double vision when reading. Decreased contrast sensitivity (the ability to distinguish between areas of light versus dark) is thought to be common in people with PD and can reduce ability to read low contrast print materials like newspapers and packaging.
Although some changes in vision can be addressed with medication adjustments, trying other strategies to make reading easier on the eyes can help:
Difficulty focusing the eyes (double vision)
Wear single vision reading glasses instead of bifocals
Cover or close one eye while reading
Ask your eye doctor if you would benefit from wearing glasses fitted with prisms
Choose books with large print type
Adjust computer and e-reader device accessibility settings to use large text fonts and double line spacing
Stick to the “20/20/20 rule” —every 20 minutes spent using a computer or device screen, you should try to look away at something that is 20 feet away from you for a total of 20 seconds
Decreased contrast sensitivity
Wear yellow tinted filters (many styles fit-over or clip easily onto glasses) when reading
For a cheaper option, use a yellow tinted plastic page overlay
Use a goose neck task lamp with a full spectrum light bulb for reading, positioning the lamp and aiming the light from behind and over your shoulder to prevent glare
Adjust computer and e-reader device accessibility settings to enhance screen contrast or invert text colors (white letters on a black screen)
Slow or delayed eye movements when reading
Use a ruler or a typoscope to block out extra text and help the eyes focus on scanning a line of words at a time
Try out a speed reading app which uses serial presentation (one word at a time) of text so that no eye movement/scanning is necessary — the rate of presentation (words per minute) and font size can be easily adjusted
Want to give serial presentation reading a try without downloading an app? Click here to access Readsy (a free, web-based speed reading application)
