London, Feb 17 (IANS) Patients suffering from macular degeneration, one of the commonest causes of vision loss, will now be able to read an entire book, thanks to a latest research. Royal Holloway University researchers have developed software that converts electronic books into a single line of continuously scrolling text, allowing people with macular degeneration to read. Macular degeneration is gradual degradation of the retina at the back of the eye, making it difficult for sufferers to see, especially reading large chunks of text. Robin Walker, professor of psychology from Royal Holloway, has developed a system that allows them to use their peripheral vision to read instead, according to the Telegraph. He said: "The outside edges of the retina at the back of the eye are turned to detecting change while the centre is used for detail." Scrolling text across a screen aids the ability to see it in the peripheral vision, so it means people with macular disease can read more easily. "We have developed an application that converts epub documents used to create electronic books into this format automatically," added Walker.
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