Biomedical subjects

E B Ciner

Publications and source records attributed to E B Ciner.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Vision screening of preschool children: evaluating the past, looking toward the future.

Vision problems of preschool children are detectable with a comprehensive eye examination; however, it is estimated that only 14% of children below the age of 6 years receive an eye examination. Screening is advocated as a cost-effective alternative to identify children in need of further vision care. Thirty-four states recommend or require vision screening of preschool children. Although laws and guidelines exist, only 21% of preschool children are actually screened for vision problems. There is little agreement concerning the best screening methods, and no validated, highly effective model for screening vision of preschool children. Newer screening tests have been designed specifically for preschool populations, and can be administered by lay screeners. Many have not been validated. Several are recommended by states or organizations without convincing scientific evidence of their effectiveness. This paper summarizes current laws and guidelines for preschool vision screening in the United States, reviews advantages and disadvantages of several test procedures, and provides recommendations for developing future preschool vision screening programs.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed1996

Stereoacuity development: 6 months to 5 years. A new tool for testing and screening.

A new tool to measure changes in random dot stereoacuity development from 6 months to 5 years of age was developed and tested. Either a forced choice or operant preferential looking (PL) paradigm with a happy face target was successfully used to test 136 children. Results indicate that stereoacuity measurements continue to develop through the first years of life. Although children below 24 months of age can be expected to have stereo thresholds in the range of 300 sec arc, there is a transition at approximately 24 months of age after which stereoacuity approaches adult levels. The sensitivity of this test in detecting binocular vision problems was 80%. These results provide guidelines for the assessment of stereoacuity in young children and also provide a new tool for the early detection of binocular vision anomalies.

Child Development↗

PubMed1996

Assessment and rehabilitation of children with special needs.

Evaluating the visual functioning of children with multiple impairments has long been a source of frustration for many eye care practitioners. A reflection of this difficulty is seen in the number of persons with multiple handicaps, especially children who are labeled "untestable" or "blind" by eye care specialists, but whose parents, teachers, and other caregivers know have some residual vision. These children with special needs may not be responsive to standard testing procedures for a variety of reasons. Stress-related behaviors, orthopedic and neuromuscular disorders, mental retardation, and preverbal levels of development will often greatly interfere with communication and co-operation levels. As parents, educators, and rehabilitation professionals have become aware of the importance of vision in the development of any child, the demand for comprehensive functional vision evaluations has substantially increased. The purpose of this paper is to present a functional vision evaluation for a child with special needs. Although one case is given as an example, guidelines for the evaluation of all special needs children are presented. It is important for eye care specialists to utilize these examination procedures in order to provide a framework from which comprehensive vision services can be delivered in conjunction with available community resources.

Child↗

PubMed1992

Optometric management of optically induced consecutive exotropia.

A 5-1/2 year old black female initially presenting with a moderate angle esotropia and latent hyperopia developed a large angle constant exotropia 2 years after final correction of her refractive error. The occurrence of consecutive exotropia as a result of optical correction of hyperopia has been documented infrequently in the ophthalmologic literature and has rarely been mentioned in the optometric literature. While the overall risk for occurrence of this complication from correction of hyperopia may be small, it is a problem which may occur and can be avoided. Unfortunately, there is only limited information about the various risk factors that should be monitored to avoid the occurrence of an optically induced consecutive exotropia. What is available with regard to evaluation and management is scant, and there are no case reports emphasizing optometric management which includes the use of lenses, occlusion and vision therapy. The purpose of this paper is to present a case report of optically induced consecutive exotropia followed by a summary of the available information from the optometric and ophthalmologic literature. This combined information will aid optometrists managing these patients to avoid the occurrence of this problem and better understand the various management aspects when it does occur.

Accommodation, Ocular↗

PubMed1991

Stereoacuity development in young children.

An operant preferential looking (OPL) test with random dot stereo targets was used to gather developmental data on stereoacuity thresholds in 180 children between 18 and 65 months of age. Results indicated a steady improvement in stereoacuity with age from 250 sec arc in the youngest children tested to 60 sec arc in the oldest group of children. The greatest improvement in stereoacuity occurs at 30 months of age where mean values improve from 225 to 125 sec arc. This large change in stereo threshold appears to be attributable to the significantly higher variability in responses in the children under 30 months of age vs. the lower variability in responses in children over 30 months of age. The overall steady improvements in stereoacuity appear to be a result of the developmental changes in the variability of responses rather than actual neurophysiological changes within the visual system.

Age Factors↗

PubMed1990

The effectiveness of Irlen filters for improving reading performance: a pilot study.

The objectives of this pilot study were to investigate the effectiveness of Irlen filters for improving comfort and reading performance and to determine whether traditional optometric intervention would be effective in relieving the symptoms commonly reported by people seeking help through the use of Irlen filters. Thirty subjects were included in the study: 12 males and 18 females. The ages of the subjects ranged from 9 to 51 (mean = 23.6). They were randomly placed in either an Irlen filter treatment group (n = 11), a vision therapy treatment group (n = 11), or a control group (n = 8). Pre- and posttesting on all subjects included a vision evaluation, reading and intelligence testing, the Irlen scotopic sensitivity screening test, and a symptom questionnaire. Results revealed that subjects in both treatment groups were more comfortable after treatment, although only the vision therapy group showed improvement in vision functioning. The subjects in the Irlen filter group did not show any significant gains in reading rate, word recognition in context, or comprehension.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1990

Vision characteristics of individuals identified as Irlen Filter candidates.

Individuals with "scotopic sensitivity syndrome" have been reported to have visual symptoms including eye strain, headaches, blurred vision, double vision and words moving on the page. This study was designed to investigate Irlen's claims that these symptoms are unrelated to vision anomalies. She suggests that the use of Irlen tinted lenses/filters relieves these symptoms and results in improved reading performance. Thirty nine subjects (age 10-49) were recruited by advertising for a study of Irlen Filters/Lenses. Before the Irlen screening all subjects received an optometric examination. The results of this study demonstrate that 95 percent of the subjects identified as candidates for Irlen Filters did have significant and readily identifiable vision anomalies. Fifty seven percent of the subjects had received vision care within the past year, yet testing revealed that 90 percent of these subjects had significant vision problems that had not been corrected.

Accommodation, Ocular↗

PubMed1989

Stereopsis testing in 18- to 35-month-old children using operant preferential looking.

Forced choice operant preferential looking (OPL) was used to evaluate stereopsis in children between 18 and 35 months of age. Eighty-three children who passed a vision screening were tested with a ring-shaped random dot target that stood out in depth. Food was used to reinforce looking at the target. Children were also administered the Random Dot E (RDE) as a comparison measure. Four children were unable to complete testing with OPL compared with 31 who were unable to complete testing with the RDE. This difference was most apparent in children under 24 months of age. This new procedure appears to be a useful technique to evaluate stereopsis in very young children.

Child, Preschool↗

PubMed1989

Visual perception and learning: issues and answers.

The role of the optometrist in treating children who are identified as learning disabled is not always understood by members of an interdisciplinary team. It is the purpose of this paper to develop a brief philosophical foundation for optometric intervention and to review some of the literature which supports the validity of optometric therapy. Correlational studies are cited to establish a basic relationship between perceptual dysfunctions and learning readiness in normal children. After establishing that perceptual training does indeed improve perceptual skills, we cite a number of investigations where intervention enabled children who had been classified as learning disabled to respond more effectively to school learning. The role of the optometrist as a member of an interdisciplinary team is addressed.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

A survey of vision screening policy of preschool children in the United States.

A state-by-state survey regarding preschool vision screening guidelines, policies, and procedures was conducted. Currently 34 states provide vision screening guidelines and 15 states require vision screening of at least some of their preschool-aged children. The Department of Public Health administers the programs in 26 states, the Department of Education in 13. A wide range of professional and lay personnel conduct preschool vision screenings, and nurses participate in the screening process in 22 states. Visual acuity is assessed in 30 states, eye alignment in 24 states, refractive error in eight states, and color vision in 10 states. A combination of screening tests is recommended in 24 states. Currently, 45 states do not require screening of all preschool children. Thus, although laws, guidelines, and recommendations exist in most states, many preschool-age children do not have access to vision screening programs.

Child, Preschool↗