Reading eye movements in traumatic brain injury

Abstract

BackgroundThe aim of our study was to measure the reading eye movements in subjects with traumatic brain injury using ReadAlyzer. ReadAlyzer is an objective eye movement recording device that tracks the eye movements while reading.\n\nMethodsReading eye movements were measured using ReadAlyzer in 30 subjects with traumatic brain injury (mild, moderate and severe) who had binocular vision and reading related symptoms and 60 asymptomatic controls.\n\nResultsThere was a significant decrease in reading eye movement parameters in subjects with traumatic brain injury compared to controls. Reading eye movement parameters were represented in median (IQR). Subjects with traumatic brain injury presented with an increased number of fixations/100 words: 137 (106-159) and regressions/100 words: 24 (12-36), and reduced reading rate 154 (128-173) words per minute. They also had a lesser grade level equivalent: 4.0 (3.0-7.0) and reduced comprehension: 70 (60-80) percentage (Mann-Whitney U test, p<0.05). Reading eye movement parameters were significantly affected in mild and moderate-severe traumatic brain injury subjects compared to controls (Kruskal-Wallis test, p<0.05).\n\nConclusionReading eye movement performance using ReadAlyzer was found to be decreased in traumatic brain injury. Reading assessment may serve as a clinical measure to understand the oculomotor system due to traumatic brain injury.