Instructions on medicines are deemed too small
Instructions on medicine packaging are too small for people with visual impairments to read, the first study to document the problem has shown.
Using standard assessments of eyesight, researchers at the Gartnavel
General Hospital, Glasgow, carried out a study to determine whether patients
with reduced near-vision were able to read instructions about their medicines.
The study involved 180 patients with
visual impairment caused by a range of conditions, including cataract,
glaucoma and macular degeneration. The average age of
patients was 70 years (ranging from 23 to 100 years).
Patients were asked to read the manufacturer’s instructions printed
on a box of eye drops without magnification. The time taken for patients
to read the information was recorded (if reading was possible). Patients
who took longer than 30 seconds were
described as “reading with difficulty”. They were also asked
to choose the size and type of font they could read comfortably.
The researchers found that although the majority of patients with moderately
good eyesight (defined as 6/18 visual acuity [VA]) were able to read
their instructions, patients with poorer eyesight (VA 6/24 to 6/60) could
not. Preferred font sizes for patients increased with worsening eyesight,
with a font size of 22 (see Figure) selected by patients with severe
visual impairment (VA 6/60). The researchers recommend a copy of medicines
instructions in enlarged print should be given to people with visual
impairment to ensure the safe and correct use of medicines (British
Journal of Ophthalmology 2004;
88:1541). |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal
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