Reading tests are an important tool used in different fields such as Optometry and Neuropsychology. Through the measure of reading speed it is possible assessing the efficiency of visual system both at periphery level (refractive errors, aberration etc) and at higher level of processing (attention, memory etc). However, when a reading test made by meaningful passages is performed sequentially to test different experimental conditions (e.g. different lenses), semantic and grammatical variables as well as learning effect can affect the results.
To avoid these issues, a specific test named Rate of Reading Test (RRT; Wilkins et al., 1996) was developed using the same 15 words to build many equivalent matrices of unmeaningful text, usable in the case of experiments with many experimental conditions.
In collaboration with the IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia (Dr. De Luca), the COMIB validated the Italian version of RRT firstly and currently is carrying out the collection of normative data in different age ranges.