| Sumario: | Purpose: People with low vision have difficulty reading. There is a scarcity of reports on whether the use of a portable electronic magnifier (PEM) versus a smartphone magnification app is more efficacious for reading tasks. The purpose of this study was to evaluate reading rates for both a PEM and a smartphone app, as well as to have subjects comment on their preferences between the two devices. Methods: Adults attending a low vision clinic were recruited to participate. The study included a pre-study survey, device training, and a reading assessment and concluded with a post-study survey. The reading assessment was a three-minute reading task done with a PEM and a smartphone magnification app. Results: Fourteen subjects completed the study. Reading rates were found to be higher with the portable electronic magnifier as compared to the magnification app, with a P value of 0.04. Seventy-nine percent of subjects preferred reading with the PEM overall, but 57% of subjects favored the magnification app for short reading tasks. Subjects were found to use their smartphones frequently for a variety of different tasks. Conclusion: Reading rates were faster with a PEM, which was preferred by most subjects. Reading with a magnification app on a smartphone is a good alternative for short reading tasks. The majority of subjects responded that their smartphones were helpful to accomplish their activities of daily living, and they were reliant on their smartphones.
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