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Background: The Wilkins Rate of Reading Test (WRRT) enables rapid measurement of reading speed using text passages that have no semantic content and demand minimal word recognition skills. It is suited to applications where the primary interest is in the influence of visual and ocular motor factors on reading rate. Methods: We obtained estimates of precision and reliability of WRRT from four data samples (A‐D) collected independently by the authors: (A) n = 118 adults; (B) n = 90 adults; (C) n = 787 children; (D) n = 134 children. Each participant was asked to read aloud as quickly and accurately as possible, for 1 min, and results were recorded as number of words read correctly per minute (wcpm). Results: Estimates of precision are given by the within‐subjects standard deviation sw, and reliability by the intraclass correlation coefficient for single measurements r1. For each sample these estimates were (A) sw = 11.5 wcpm, r1 = 0.85; (B) sw = 3.8 wcpm, r1 = 0.98; (C) sw = 6.7 wcpm, r1 = 0.93; (D) sw = 6.2 wcpm, r1 = 0.94. Conclusion: The reliability of WRRT reflects large variation in reading rate between individuals compared to within‐individual variability, indicating that it is a good test for discriminating differences in reading speed between individuals. The precision of the test varies from 3.8 wcpm to 11.5 wcpm among samples, and the pooled value of 7.2 wcpm, provides a basis for setting a population‐wide criterion for minimum detectable change of reading rate in individuals over time. Nevertheless, a preferable way of monitoring change in an individual would be to use a criterion determined from estimates of that individual's baseline variation in WRRT scores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To design, construct and validate a new Tamil logMAR visual acuity chart based on current recommendations. Methods: Ten Tamil letters of equal legibility were identified experimentally and were used in the chart. Two charts, one internally illuminated and one externally illuminated, were constructed for testing at 4 m distance. The repeatability of the two charts was tested. For validation, the two charts were compared with a standard English logMAR chart (ETDRS). Results: When compared to the ETDRS chart, a difference of 0.06 ± 0.07 and 0.07 ± 0.07 logMAR was found for the internally and externally illuminated charts respectively. Limits of agreement between the internally illuminated Tamil logMAR chart and ETDRS chart were found to be (−0.08, 0.19), and (−0.07, 0.20) for the externally illuminated chart. The test – retest results showed a difference of 0.02 ± 0.04 and 0.02 ± 0.06 logMAR for the internally and externally illuminated charts respectively. Limits of agreement for repeated measurements for the internally illuminated Tamil logMAR chart were found to be (−0.06, 0.10), and (−0.10, 0.14) for the externally illuminated chart. Conclusions: The newly constructed Tamil logMAR charts have good repeatability. The difference in visual acuity scores between the newly constructed Tamil logMAR chart and the standard English logMAR chart was within acceptable limits. This new chart can be used for measuring visual acuity in the literate Tamil population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]