The space between lines is an important factor of readability. The white space helps the eye track a line of text.
Optimal Ranges
- Standard default: 100-120% of font size (1.0-1.2 ems)
- Low-vision accessibility: approximately 140% of font size
Readability Balance
There are two critical balance points:
- Insufficient spacing confuses the eye by making adjacent lines difficult to distinguish
- Excessive spacing creates difficulty locating the next line of text
Typeface Variability
Line height adjustments vary depending on which typeface you're using, requiring some customization per font choice.