ObjectiveTo evaluate the reading speed and related factors of normally-sighted middle-aged and elderly people, and compare with those assessed in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) patients.MethodsProspective case control study. Participants aged 45 to 85 years old with junior high school or above education and BCVA no less than 0.6 from the community around the First Hospital of Tsinghua University were recruited. People with ocular and nervous system diseases were excluded. AMD patients without other ocular and nervous system diseases, with the BCVA of their better eye above 0.05, were recruited from the Low Vision Clinic of the First Hospital of Tsinghua University. The best corrected vision, contrast sensitivity, and reading acuity were tested. Reading speed was evaluated with IReST Chinese version. Single factor correlation analysis was used to assess different factors which may be related with the reading speed, then multiple linear regression analysis was conducted further.ResultsFrom January to April, 2016, 53 volunteers aged 60.7±8.8 years old participated in the survey including 17 males and 36 females. Their median of best vision acuity both distance and near was 1.0, and their average reading speed was 244±55 characters/min. The average reading speed of younger participants in the middle-aged group (45-59 years old) was statistically faster (P＜0.05) than the elderly group (≥60 years old), which was 267±53 and 227±51 characters/min separately. The reading speed was correlated with age (r=－0.476, P=0.000), gender (t=－2.291, P=0.031), educational level (t=2.656, P=0.011), reading habits (t=7.346, P=0.000), best corrected distance vision (r=－0.293, P=0.033), best corrected near vision (r=－0.460, P=0.001), and reading acuity (r=－0.558, P=0.000) by single factor correlation analysis. Further analysis with multiple linear regression showed that reading acuity, gender, education level, and reading habits were significantly correlated with reading speed (β=－283.312, 28.303, －37.700, －45.505; P=0.000, 0.022, 0.019, 0.023). Totally 22 AMD patients aged 77.4±8.2 (59-90) years old joined the study from September 2016 to August 2018, including 16 males and 6 females. The median reading speed was 118 characters/min. Compared with the normally-sighted elderly, there were more males in AMD patients (χ2=3.981, P=0.046). They were older (t=－4.285, P=0.000), with significant poorer visual acuity (t=-6.176, P=0.000) and lower reading speed (t=-5.719, P=0.000). Significant correlation was found between reading speed and best binocular distance or near vision, reading acuity and contrast sensitivity (r=－0.771, －0.805, －0.776, 0.511; P=0.000, 0.000, 0.000, 0.015), no statistic relationship was found between reading speed and age(r=0.021, P=0.926) or gender(Z=－0.382, P=0.703) in AMD patients.ConclusionsThe reading speed of normally-sighted people declined with age. Reading acuity may be a better predictive factor than distance vision for reading function. Compared with normally-sighted group, the reading acuity and reading speed of AMD patients was significantly lower. The main factor affecting their reading speed was the severity of their visual impairment.