Comparison of reading speed, phonological decoding, and comprehension in the group of children with anisometropic amblyopia and control group

The purpose of this study was to compare the reading speed, phonological decoding, and comprehension between a group of children with anisometropic amblyopia (amblyopic group) (N = 21) and a group without visual problems (control group) (N = 37). Mean (± SD) age in amblyopic group was 10.3 ± 1.7 and 10.7 ± 1.3 years in control group (p = 0.130). The reading speed measurement was conducted with the use of Konopnicki test, phonological decoding and comprehension using the Prolexia tests – string words test and string sentences test. All reading tests were made binocularly with spectacle correction (subjective refraction result). The median (range) of the Konopnicki test in the amblyopic group was 62 words per minute (from 32 to 108), while 92 words per minute (from 51 to 125) in the control group (p < 0.0001). The mean (± SD) of the string words test for amblyopic group was 3 min and 55 s (± 1.68), while in control group it was 2 min and 55 s (± 0.95) (p < 0.0001). Median (range) of the string sentences test for amblyopic group was 4.18 min (from 1.52 to 10.32) and for control group was 2.50 min (from 1.30 to 5.12) (p < 0.0001). This study indicates that children with anisometropic amblyopia achieve significantly worse results in reading speed, phonological decoding, and comprehension.