| 1. |
- Miranda, Antonio Miguel, et al.
(author)
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Eye movements, convergence distance and pupil-size when reading from smartphone, computer, print and tablet
- 2018
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In: Scandinavian Journal of Optometry and Visual Science. - : The Norwegian Association of Optometry. - 1891-0882 .- 1891-0890. ; 11:1, s. 1-5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study investigated the use of eye-tracking glasses to monitor visual behaviour when reading from electronic devices and paper in free-viewing conditions. The Tobii-Pro-Glasses were used to monitor 20 subjects with normal vision during reading tasks. Reading was performed in a smartphone, computer, paper and tablet. Texts from the IReST-test were read in devices in a random order. Participants read one text in each device and then repeated the same task 1 hour later; in total each participant read eight different texts. The sequence for the devices was randomized. We found differences between devices for saccade amplitude, fixation duration, convergence distance and pupil size. Reading speed between computer and tablet was slightly different (8 words-per-minute) and pupil size reduced up to 20% in electronic devices compared to print. Behavioural changes observed whilst reading from different devices may reflect an attempt from readers to optimize performance. The need to maintain visual performance under different visual condition may lead to increased visual symptoms. Eye-tracking glasses could be a valuable tool to investigate visual aspects of digital strain.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Baskaran, Karthikeyan, Senior Lecturer, 1983-, et al.
(author)
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Scoring reading parameters : An inter-rater reliability study using the MNREAD chart
- 2019
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 14:6, s. 1-14
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose First, to evaluate inter-rater reliability when human raters estimate the reading performance of visually impaired individuals using the MNREAD acuity chart. Second, to evaluate the agreement between computer-based scoring algorithms and compare them with human rating. Methods Reading performance was measured for 101 individuals with low vision, using the Portuguese version of the MNREAD test. Seven raters estimated the maximum reading speed (MRS) and critical print size (CPS) of each individual MNREAD curve. MRS and CPS were also calculated automatically for each curve using two different algorithms: the original standard deviation method (SDev) and a non-linear mixed effects (NLME) modeling. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC) were used to estimate absolute agreement between raters and/or algorithms. Results Absolute agreement between raters was ‘excellent’ for MRS (ICC = 0.97; 95%CI [0.96, 0.98]) and ‘moderate’ to ‘good’ for CPS (ICC = 0.77; 95%CI [0.69, 0.83]). For CPS, inter-rater reliability was poorer among less experienced raters (ICC = 0.70; 95%CI [0.57, 0.80]) when compared to experienced ones (ICC = 0.82; 95%CI [0.76, 0.88]). Absolute agreement between the two algorithms was ‘excellent’ for MRS (ICC = 0.96; 95%CI [0.91, 0.98]). For CPS, the best possible agreement was found for CPS defined as the print size sustaining 80% of MRS (ICC = 0.77; 95%CI [0.68, 0.84]). Absolute agreement between raters and automated methods was ‘excellent’ for MRS (ICC = 0.96; 95% CI [0.88, 0.98] for SDev; ICC = 0.97; 95% CI [0.95, 0.98] for NLME). For CPS, absolute agreement between raters and SDev ranged from ‘poor’ to ‘good’ (ICC = 0.66; 95% CI [0.3, 0.80]), while agreement between raters and NLME was ‘good’ (ICC = 0.83; 95% CI [0.76, 0.88]). Conclusion For MRS, inter-rater reliability is excellent, even considering the possibility of noisy and/or incomplete data collected in low-vision individuals. For CPS, inter-rater reliability is lower. This may be problematic, for instance in the context of multisite investigations or follow-up examinations. The NLME method showed better agreement with the raters than the SDev method for both reading parameters. Setting up consensual guidelines to deal with ambiguous curves may help improve reliability. While the exact definition of CPS should be chosen on a case-by-case basis depending on the clinician or researcher’s motivations, evidence suggests that estimating CPS as the smallest print size sustaining about 80% of MRS would increase inter-rater reliability.
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| 4. |
- Baskaran, Karthikeyan, Senior Lecturer, 1983-, et al.
(author)
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Scoring reading parameters: an inter-rater reliability study using the MNREAD test
- 2017
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aim: Estimating MNREAD parameters such as Critical Print Size (CPS) and Maximum Reading Speed (MRS) - using the time taken to read blocks of text - often requires subjective analysis of the reading profile. Depending on the rater, parameters may be over- or under-estimated, resulting in difficult or even impossible between-study comparisons. The aim of this project was to evaluate the inter-rater reliability of MNREAD parameters in subjects with visual impairment. Methods: Reading times for the Portuguese version of the MNREAD chart from 32 subjects, reading binocularly were analyzed. Reading speed was computed by a single experimenter (AFM) using reading time and number of errors. Based on reading speeds, three experimented raters (AFM, AC and KB) computed MRS and CPS using the following method. CPS was defined as the print size at which subsequent smaller print sizes were read at 1.96 x standard deviation slower than the mean of the preceding print sizes; MRS was estimated as the mean reading speed for sentences in print larger than the CPS. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using intra-class correlation (ICC) coefficient for both MRS and CPS for all three raters. Results: Near acuity range was 0.14-1.9 logMAR. The average measure ICC for CPS was 0.896 with a 95% CI from 0.814 to 0.946 (p< 0.001). The average measure ICC for MRS was 0.984 with a 95% CI from 0.970 to 0.992 (p< 0.001). Conclusion: A high degree of reliability was found between the three raters for both CPS and MRS. Even though some small variability exists this may be due to raters’ high-level experience with MNREAD data. Future directions will involve: 1) including more raters with various level of experience in MNREAD rating; 2) investigating the degree of inter-rater reliability for raters using different estimation methods.
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| 5. |
- Hernandez-Moreno, Laura, et al.
(author)
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Absent Foveal Pit, Also Known as Fovea Plana, in a Child without Associated Ocular or Systemic Findings
- 2018
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In: Case Reports in Ophthalmological Medicine. - : Hindawi Publishing Corporation. - 2090-6722 .- 2090-6730. ; , s. 1-5
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The purpose of this report is to describe a case of bilateral foveal hypoplasia in the absence of other ophthalmological or systemic manifestations. We characterize the case of a 9-year-old Caucasian male who underwent full ophthalmologic examination, including functional measures of vision and structural measurements of the eye. Best corrected visual acuity was 0.50 logMAR in the right eye and 0.40 logMAR in the left eye. Ophthalmoscopy revealed a lack of foveal reflex that was further investigated. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) confirmed the absence of foveal depression (pit). OCT images demonstrated the abnormal structure of retina in a region in which we expected a fovea; these findings were decisive to determine the cause of reduced acuity in the child.
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| 6. |
- Ferreira, Marisa Borges, et al.
(author)
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Relationships between neuropsychological and antisaccade measures in multiple sclerosis patients
- 2018
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In: PeerJ. - : PeerJ, Inc. - 2167-8359. ; 6, s. 1-18
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- BackgroundThe Stroop test is frequently used to assess deficits in inhibitory control in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). This test has limitations and antisaccade eye movements, that also measure inhibitory control, may be an alternative to Stroop.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was twofold: (i) to investigate if the performance in the antisaccade task is altered in patients with MS and (ii) to investigate the correlation between performances in neuropsychological tests, the Stroop test and the antisaccade task.MethodsWe measured antisaccades (AS) parameters with an infrared eye tracker (SMIRED 250 Hz) using a standard AS paradigm. A total of 38 subjects diagnosed with MS and 38 age and gender matched controls participated in this study. Neuropsychological measures were obtained from the MS group.ResultsPatients with MS have higher error rates and prolonged latency than controls in the antisaccade task. There was a consistent association between the Stroop performance and AS latency. Stroop performance but not AS latency was associated with other neuropsychological measures in which the MS group showed deficits.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that AS may be a selective and independent measure to investigate inhibitory control in patients with MS. More studies are necessary to confirm our results and to describe brain correlates associated with impaired performance in the antisaccade task in people diagnosed with MS.
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| 7. |
- Lima Ramos, Pedro, et al.
(author)
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Predicting participation of people with impaired vision in epidemiological studies
- 2018
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In: BMC Ophthalmology. - : BioMed Central (BMC). - 1471-2415. ; 18, s. 1-12
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Background: The characteristics of the target group and the design of an epidemiologic study, in particular the recruiting methods, can influence participation. People with vision impairment have unique characteristics because those invited are often elderly and totally or partially dependent on help to complete daily activities such as travelling to study sites. Therefore, participation of people with impaired vision in studies is less predictable than predicting participation for the general population. Methods: Participants were recruited in the context of a study of prevalence and costs of visual impairment in Portugal (PCVIP-study). Participants were recruited from 4 Portuguese public hospitals. Inclusion criteria were: acuity in the better eye from 0.5 decimal (0.30logMAR) or worse and/or visual field of less than 20 degrees. Recruitment involved sending invitation letters and follow-up phone calls. A multiple logistic regression model was used to assess determinants of participation. The J48 classifier, chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were applied to investigate the possible differences between subjects in our sample. Results: Individual cases were divided into 3 groups: immediate, late and non-participants. A participation rate of 20% was obtained (15% immediate, 5% late). Factors positively associated with participation included years of education, annual hospital attendance, and intermediate visual acuity. Females and greater distance to the hospital were inversely associated with participation. Conclusion: In our study, a letter followed by a phone call was efficient to recruit a significant number of participants from a larger group of people with impaired vision. However, the improvement in participation observed after the phone call might not be cost-effective. People with low levels of education and women were more difficult to recruit. These findings need to be considered to avoid studies whose results are biased by gender or socioeconomic inequalities of their participants. Young subjects and those at intermediate stages of vision impairment, or equivalent conditions, may need more persuasion than other profiles.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Marques, Ana Patricia, et al.
(author)
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Productivity Losses and Their Explanatory Factors Amongst People with Impaired Vision
- 2019
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In: Ophthalmic Epidemiology. - : Taylor & Francis Group. - 0928-6586 .- 1744-5086. ; 26:6, s. 378-392
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose: To estimate productivity losses amongst people with impaired vision in Portugal and to investigate explanatory factors associated with non-participation in the labour market.Methods: A total of 546 visually impaired individuals participated in face-to-face interviews. Participants were asked about their workforce participation to determine productivity (employment status questionnaire), their health-related quality of life – HRQoL (EQ-5D) and their visual acuity and visual ability (Activity Inventory). Productivity losses included absenteeism and reduction in workforce participation. Logistic regression was used to determine independent factors associated with participation in the labour market.Results: From the 546 participants, 50% were retired, 47% were of working age and 3% were students. The employment rate was 28%, and the unemployment rate was 21% for the working age sample. For those of working age, productivity losses were estimated at €1.51 million per year, mean of €5496 per participant. The largest contributor to productivity losses was reduced workforce participation, estimated from 159 early retired or unemployed participants. After controlling for visual acuity and ability, younger individuals, with more years of education, without comorbidities and high HRQoL had a higher probability of being employed.Conclusions: Our findings show a high unemployment rate and high productivity losses amongst people with impaired vision. The probability of being employed was associated with education, HRQoL and comorbidities. We speculate that promoting education and health through effective visual rehabilitation programs may help to increase participation in the labour market. These findings can inform decisions to intervene to reduce the burden of vision loss.
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| 11. |
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| 12. |
- Pazhoohi, Farid, et al.
(author)
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Sex Differences for Preferences of Shoulder to Hip Ratio in Men and Women : an Eye Tracking Study
- 2019
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In: Evolutionary Psychological Science. - : Springer. - 2198-9885. ; 5:4, s. 405-415
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Shoulder to hip ratio (SHR) is a sexually dimorphic trait in humans, yet no previous study has investigated the gazing behavior and perceived physical attractiveness of men and women in relation to men and women’s SHRs. Men and women are attentive to men’s upper body and consider higher SHRs as cues to masculinity, strength, and formidability. Moreover, while women’s shoulder width varies from one individual to another, to our knowledge no previous study has investigated perceived attractiveness and eye movement in relation to women’s SHR. Therefore, in the current study, we investigated attractiveness ratings and eye movements of both men and women to front- and back-posed male and female stimuli varying in SHR. Our results showed that men prefer more masculine ratios for men and less masculine ratios for women. However, the results also showed that women preferred an intermediate SHR for both men and women in the back view while their preference in the front view is not influenced by SHR. Eye movements showed that men viewed the chest region of other men in the front and back views of stimuli, and they had longer dwell time on chests of male stimuli with higher SHRs, while no significant difference was found for dwell time on chests of female stimuli varying in SHR. Also, no differences were observed for female participants in dwell time, for either chest regions of SHRs of male stimuli or for the chests of female stimuli. Altogether, the results of this study suggest that men more than women are attentive to variations in SHRs.
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| 13. |
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| 14. |
- Santos, Diana, et al.
(author)
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Influence of the use of cane on the gait cycle of individuals who are blind
- 2018
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In: The British Journal of Visual Impairment. - : Sage Publications. - 0264-6196 .- 1744-5809. ; 36:3, s. 251-261
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The aim of this study was to perform a biomechanical characterization of the gait cycle in individuals who are blind. Five individuals with ages between 16 and 19 years participated in this study. The task consisted of walks of 12m measured in two conditions: (1) with cane and (2) wihtout cane; a total of 20 walks in each condition were performed. During walks, participants were monitored with a Vicon 3D-motion capture system. Spatialtemporal, kinematic, kinetic, and dynamic parameters were recorded and compared between the two conditions. We observed an interaction between the condition and ankle angular measures (p = .003); the interaction was due to differences induced by condition in instants ‘opposite toe off’ (p = .045) and ‘opposite initial contact’ (p = .019). We also obtained a significant difference in the negative ankle-joint-power measures between conditions (p = .044). This study showed that the use of cane changes the gait pattern in individuals who are blind. The subtle changes in ankle behaviour when walking with a cane, compared with no cane, suggest better application of the force during the initial stages of support leading to a more comfortable gait. This type of assessment of gait may be important to improve mobility training and rehabilitation strategies.
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| 15. |
- Senra, Hugo, et al.
(author)
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Psychological and Psychosocial Interventions for Depression and Anxiety in Patients with Age-Related Macular Degeneration : A Systematic Review
- 2019
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In: The American journal of geriatric psychiatry. - : Elsevier. - 1064-7481 .- 1545-7214. ; 27:8, s. 755-773
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Purpose To review the current literature on psychosocial and psychological interventions to prevent and treat depression and anxiety in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Methods We conducted a systematic review of literature evaluating psychosocial and psychological interventions for depression and anxiety in AMD patients. Primary searches of PubMed, Cochrane library, EMBASE, Global Health, Web of Science, EBSCO, and Science Direct were conducted to include all papers published until April 21st. 2018. Results Of a total of 398 citations retrieved, we selected 12 eligible studies published between 2002 and 2016. We found 9 randomized controlled trials (RCT), and 3 non-randomised intervention (NRI) studies. RCT studies suggested that interventions using group self-management techniques, and individual behavioural activation plus low vision rehabilitation can be effective to treat and prevent depression in AMD patients, and one study suggested that a stepped-care intervention using cognitive-behavioural techniques can be effective to manage anxiety and depression over time. NRI studies highlighted a positive effect of self-help and emotion-focused interventions to reduce depression. Conclusions Clinical practice with AMD patients can rely on some tailored cognitive-behavioural therapeutic protocols to improve patients’ mental health, but further clinical trials will generate the necessary evidence-based knowledge to improve those therapeutic techniques and offer additional tailored interventions for AMD patients.
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| 16. |
- Soares, Ana Paula, et al.
(author)
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Lexico-syntactic interactions during the processing of temporally ambiguous L2 relative clauses : An eye-tracking study with intermediate and advanced Portuguese-English bilinguals
- 2019
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In: PLOS ONE. - : Public Library of Science. - 1932-6203. ; 14:5, s. 1-27
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- There is extensive evidence showing that bilinguals activate the lexical and the syntactic representations of both languages in a nonselective way. However, the extent to which the lexical and the syntactic levels of representations interact during second language (L2) sentence processing and how those interactions are modulated by L2 proficiency remain unclear. This paper aimed to directly address these issues by using an online technique (eye-tracking) that is highly sensitive to the lexical and syntactic processes involved in sentence reading. To that purpose, native-speakers of European Portuguese (EP) learning English as L2 at intermediate and advanced levels of proficiency were asked to silently read temporally ambiguous L2 relative clause (RC) sentences disambiguated with a High-Attachment (HA) or Low-Attachment (LA) strategy while their eye-movements were monitored. Since EP and English native speakers differ in the way they process and comprehend this syntactic structure (EP: HA, English: LA), HA preferences were used as a marker of L1 RC syntax interference. Additionally, the cognate status of the complex NP that preceded the RC was manipulated to further analyze how the lexical co-activation of both languages would also affect the syntactic representations of the non-target (L1) language. Results showed cognate facilitation in early and late reading time measures regardless of L2 proficiency, and also that the cognate status of the complex NP impacted L2 reading performance, particularly at lower levels of L2 proficiency. These findings provide compelling evidence for a bilingual reading system that seems to be highly dynamic and interactive not only within each level of processing, but, importantly, across levels of representation. They also suggested that, as the level of L2 proficiency increases, L1 RC syntax interference becomes stronger, in a syntactic parser that seems to operate in a more integrated and nonselective way, with both strategies being equally available to guide L2 reading comprehension. Results are discussed attending to the current models of bilingual syntactic processing.
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