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PubMed1983

Recent advances in clinical low-vision care.

In the past decade there has been a growth in the awareness of the impact that low vision has on the individual and on society in general. The clinical eye-care professions have become more conscious of their responsibility to assist partially sighted patients and low-vision care is becoming a specialty area within optometry and ophthalmology. This paper reviews recent advances in the optical devices and prescribing procedures that have contributed to improving the care that is available to assist low-vision patients with distance-vision tasks, near-vision tasks and visual-field problems.

Distance Perception↗
PubMed2001

Veterinary school admission interviews, part 2: survey of North American schools.

A study of veterinary school admission interview practices across the USA and Canada was conducted in 1999. All 31 schools responded. INTERVIEW USE: Eighty-four percent of the veterinary schools interview applicants. Veterinary schools are more likely to interview resident than non-resident applicants (62% interviewed >or=49% of their resident applicants, while 77% interviewed or=77%). The five most common characteristics and skills the veterinary admission interview is intended to assess are communication skills, maturity, motivation for and interest in veterinary medicine, interpersonal skills, and knowledge of the veterinary profession (>or=92%). The least common characteristic or skill the veterinary admission interview is intended to assess is academic performance (23%). INTERVIEW FORMAT: Veterinary schools are most likely to offer one interview to a candidate (83%). A panel interview with between two and three interviewers is the predominant format employed (92%). The interview is of 20-45 minutes duration (88%), most commonly 30 minutes (50%). Interview questions most often address experiences in veterinary medicine, general background, and strengths and weaknesses (>or=85%). The level of interview structure is low to moderate (73%). The cold or blind interview (where interviewers are denied access to all or part of the written application) is employed by 50% of the interviewing veterinary schools. INTERVIEWERS: Interviewing veterinary schools assign interviewing to faculty veterinarians (100%). Some level of interviewer training is usually provided (87%); the most common mode of training is distribution of printed material (86%). SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS: The veterinary admissions interview is similar to that employed by schools of medicine, optometry, and dentistry, with the exception that veterinary schools are more likely to use panel interviews, to fix the interview weight in selection decisions, and to employ a cold or blind interview (these differences provide an opportunity to increase interview reliability and validity). Interview reliability and validity can be further improved by increasing interviewer training and interview structure, ensuring that the interview's format is consistent with its purpose, and identifying behavioral characteristics that are consistent with successful practice.

Canada↗
PubMed2004

Veterinary school admission interviews, part 3: strategies for increasing interview validity.

The veterinary school admission interview is a widely used selection tool, yet concerns persist about its reliability, validity, and cost. Relative to medicine, optometry, and dentistry schools, veterinary schools have been more likely to conduct panel interviews and to fix the interview's weight in selection decisions, strategies that increase interview validity. This article provides strategies for further increasing the veterinary school interview's validity. Interview reliability and validity studies point to key strategies the veterinary school admissions committee can implement before the interview: (1) establishing the interview's purpose(s); (2) conducting a "job" analysis to identify desirable candidate skills, knowledge, and attributes; (3) developing a structured and panel interview where interviewers, if possible, are blind to other admission data; (4) training interviewers; (5) setting a reasonable interview schedule; and (6) determining methods for analyzing applicant data. During the interview, interviewers should proceed through a structured series of steps: (1) open the interview with a specified agenda; (2) probe for information using structured questions and anchored rating scales; (3) close the interview to allow for candidate questions; and (4) evaluate the interview data. After the interview, the admissions committee should (1) analyze the interview data within and across interviewers and (2) analyze the data across all selection tools in order to assign relative weights to the selection tools.

Education, Veterinary↗
PubMed2006

A comparison of entrance and graduation requirements for the Au.D. with other first professional degrees.

Over the past several years there has been increasing reference to the Doctor of Audiology degree (Au.D.) as a "first professional degree." Currently, first professional degrees are awarded in the fields of chiropractic, dentistry, law, medicine, optometry, osteopathic medicine, pharmacy, podiatry, theology, and veterinary medicine. General entrance requirements, clinical experiences, and graduation requirements for the Au.D. degree were compared to the health-care professions awarding first professional degrees. Comparisons were also made to the professions of pharmacy, psychology and speech-language pathology. For all first professional degree occupations, unique entrance and competency examination processes have been developed. The four-year postbachelor's Au.D. degree model is similar in length to first professional degree programs, although most of the other occupations provide the opportunity to specialize after graduation. For the factors examined in this study, including entrance requirements, entrance examinations, program length, graduation requirements, and certification requirements, the Au.D. continues to be more similar to the nonprofessional degree models of psychology and speech-language pathology. The comparison with first professional degree programs yields information for possible further evolution of the education of audiologists.

Audiology↗
PubMed1983

Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) program--PHS. Final regulations.

These regulations set forth the requirements for participating in the Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) program, a Federal program of insured loans to students in schools of medicine, osteopathic medicine, dentistry, podiatric medicine, public health, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, optometry, and chiropractic, and graduate students in health administration and clinical psychology.

Health Occupations↗
PubMed1976

Culture and the development of vision.

Given Chinese ethnographic data, a model of a style of visual performance was predicted. The prediction was that the style would be "inwardizing". Inwardizing was related to individual styles of social behavior as observed in optometric offices. A complete 21-point optometric examination was performed on Chinese subjects and the results were compared to a control group of American subjects. Throughout the optometric examination the Chinese subjects displayed the predicted pattern of inwardizing visual performance. That physiologically measurable patterns of visual performance could be predicted on the basis of ethnographic data gives experimental support to the anthropological assumption of reciprocity between biology and culture. The discovery of a culturally determined pattern of visual performance beyond the work already done with various isolated refractive conditions and the observed relationship of this to patterns of social behavior pose interesting tasks for anthropology, optometry and other professions. First, there is need for further investigation of 1) the role of culture in determining visual performance and 2) the relationship of visual performance patterns to social behavior, beyond that which has already been done, for example, with myopia and hyperopia. Then there is need to incorporate these new areas of knowledge into all fields dealing with human behavior.

Adult↗
PubMed1976

Should there be a restriction of optometric treatment?

The restriction of optometric services in third party payment programs is of considerable concern to the profession. Limitations placed on the type and amount of lens prescriptions which can be provided is not in the best interest of the patient. Those outside the profession of optometry must be made aware of the significance of ophthalmic lens prescriptions in terms of total visual performance rather than mere correction of "significant" refractive errors.

Eyeglasses↗
PubMed1999

Nearpoint phoria changes associated with the cessation of childhood myopia progression.

BACKGROUND: A convergent (eso) shift in near phoria associated with the onset of myopia has been reported. METHODS: Data from two Midwestern United States optometry practices were used to assess whether the near phoria shifted back in the divergent (exo) direction after the cessation of childhood myopia progression. Data were collected for myopic children who had three or more examinations before the age of 15 years and at least one examination after the age of 17 years. RESULTS: Refractive error data were used to calculate an index of the age of cessation of childhood myopia progression. The phoria at the first examination after the cessation age was designated as the baseline and was normalized to zero. For all previous and subsequent examinations, the changes in phoria with respect to the baseline phoria were calculated. The phoria at the examination just after the cessation age was significantly more divergent than those at the first, third, and fourth examinations prior to the cessation age (1.1, 1.4, and 1.7 prism diopters, respectively). The third visit after the cessation age was 1.8 prism diopters more divergent than the first visit after the cessation age. Thus, these data showed an exo shift in near phoria after the cessation of childhood myopia progression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1975

A training program for elementary school teachers. Optometrist-teacher communications.

Communication between optometrists and teachers is critical to optometric involvement in interdisciplinary team approaches to learning disabilities. The classroom teacher may be a prime source of referrals to the general optometrist as well as the vision development specialist. Optometry's contribution to classroom learning cannot be fully realized without sound optometrist-teacher communication. The basic design of a training program to enhance optometrist-teacher communications is presented in this paper. The individual optometrist may modify and supplement the program to suit the special needs of the teachers involved.

Child↗
PubMed1975

Patient response to PMMA contact lenses.

This study was designed to determine patient response to hard (PMMA) contact lenses and evaluate how lens modifications and refitting affect success. The subjects of this study were 178 randomly selected contact lens patients fitted at the University of California School of Optometry. Six to nine months after the patients were examined and fitted, their response to contact lenses was evaluated using the standard of Sarver and Harris. 44.4% of the patients were successful with the initial lenses while an additional 35.4% of the patients became successful after appropriate lens changes were made. The majority of the changes made were to eliminate ocular tissue changes. Our results indicate that lens modifications or refittings are often necessary to achieve a successful response to contact lenses.

Consumer Behavior↗
PubMed2000

Characteristics of a paediatric low vision population in a private eye hospital in India.

While private hospitals provide an important access point for low vision services for children in urban India, little is known about this service delivery route. A cross sectional survey was done of consecutive records of 220 children presenting at a newly opened paediatric low vision centre in a private eye hospital in Hyderabad. On presentation, 49% of the children were classified as moderately visually impaired, 31% were severely visually impaired and 20% were blind. The four major causes of visual impairment were the hereditary/genetic conditions of congenital glaucoma, hereditary macular degeneration, retinitis pigmentosa and albinism. Approach magnification was sufficient for required near tasks in all pre-school children and about 50% of school children. Provision of a distance refraction decreased the prevalence of severe visual impairment and blindness by 31%. The most commonly prescribed low vision devices were spectacles indicating a key role for optometry in the management of visual impairment in Indian children. Establishment of low vision clinics in existing Indian eye hospitals using associated optometric staff would be a cost effective method to minimise visual impairment in Indian children.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Vision readiness at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base.

Ensuring that our forces are vision ready, i.e., they have the appropriate visual acuity, optical devices, and eye health to perform their mission, is essential on today's battlefield. A study was conducted at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base to determine the prevalence of vision readiness in a deploying fighter squadron. Of the 204 personnel screened, 59 wore glasses or contact lenses. Of these 59, 15 individuals (25%) were optically ready and 44 individuals (75%) were not optically ready to deploy. Optical readiness is defined as having the correct type and number of optical devices. Of the 15 individuals (25%) who were optically ready, 13 (87%) had had a professional eye examination within 12 months. Of the 44 individuals (75%) who were not optically ready, 36 (82%) had been examined within 1 year. Pearson's chi 2 test (chi 2 = 1.59, degrees of freedom = 3, significance = 0.66) indicated that there was no significant association between readiness and the date of the last examination. This study reveals that although personnel are having regular periodic professional eye examinations, optometry personnel, commanders, and deploying airmen must take a more active role in ensuring that our forces are vision ready.

Aerospace Medicine↗
PubMed2000

Meibomian gland status comparison between active duty personnel and U.S. veterans.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the lid and meibomian gland status of active duty forces (ADF) and U.S. veterans (USV) to compare the prevalence of lid dysfunction and disease in each population. METHODS: One examiner observed 113 consecutive patients in both groups during a 2-week period at two federal service optometry clinics. All eyes were graded with regard to negative findings (or normal), meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), and/or meibomitis from an established criterion. RESULTS: 90.3% of ADF had normal lid findings, 5.3% of ADF had MGD (all contact lens patients), and 4.4% of ADF had meibomitis; 28.9% of USV had normal findings, and 71.1% of USV had MGD or meibomitis (no patients wore contact lenses). CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal that a definite difference exists between ADF personnel and USV in eyelid physiology and pathophysiology. This difference should be noted by the clinician who evaluates such patients. This will affect the differential diagnosis of ocular symptomatology in the contact lens and non-contact lens patient.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The Vision First Check Program in British Columbia: a preschool vision screening program for children age two and age three.

The Vision First Check Program was developed in consultation with ophthalmology and optometry representatives on the provincial Vision Advisory Committee and piloted by participating optometrists in four communities in BC between January and June 1998. This preschool vision screening program provides for one vision screening for children aged two and three at no cost to the family or the Medical Services Plan of BC. The screening is by optometrists, the marketing of the program is coordinated through public health, and the data collection is coordinated through the Medical Services Plan as a no-fee item.

British Columbia↗
PubMed1996

Vision readiness in the United States Air Force revisited.

A study was conducted to determine the prevalence of substandard visual acuity in a sample of the diverse communities of the United States Air Force. In addition, mobility readiness (visual), ocular disease, time since last visual examination, and adherence to ocular requirements per AFR 160-43 were assessed. Comprehensive eye examinations were performed in the Optometry Clinic on 207 randomly chosen members scheduled by Squadron Schedulers using random computer lists of personnel generated by Military Personnel Flight. Of the 207 individuals, 112 (54%) had not had a professional eye examination in the last 2 years, 51 (24%) were not mobility ready, 6 (3%) had inadequate visual acuity per AFR 160-43, and 4 (1.9%) had ocular disease. The study reinforces the concept that comprehensive, periodic ocular examinations should be performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist on all active duty members to ensure that they see properly to perform assigned duties, that members on mobility have required optical materials to be deployment ready, and that members who develop ocular disease are identified in a timely manner.

Aerospace Medicine↗
PubMed2001

Vision readiness of the reserve forces of the U.S. Army.

In 1996 and 1997, the Army conducted an exercise to assess the ability to rapidly mobilize the reserve forces. In accordance with Army requirements, each soldier was evaluated to determine if he or she met vision and optical readiness standards. Of the 1,947 individuals processed through the optometry section, 40% met vision requirements without correction and 32% met vision requirements with their current spectacles. The remaining 28% required examination. A major impediment to processing reserve units for deployment is the lack of vision and optical readiness. In the mobilization for the Persian Gulf War, significant delays were incurred because of the time required to perform eye examinations and fabricate eyewear. However, as a result of this exercise, current prescriptions will be available in the event of mobilization. To ensure readiness, all units should perform such exercises periodically.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Why do we still not know whether refractive error causes headaches? Towards a framework for evidence based practice.

In this paper, we systematically review the available experimental and clinical evidence concerning the causation of headache by refractive error. Despite the apparent belief of both medical and optometric professionals that provision of an appropriate correction may alleviate various types of headache, there is little if any robust evidence in support of this position. We identify four serious methodological and theoretical difficulties with studies to date, which currently render it impossible to assess the relationship between refractive error and headache. The provision by the International Headache Society of the diagnostic category "headache associated with refractive error" is called into question. Five research questions are posited in the form of a framework for the development of evidence-based practice in optometry and the treatment of headache.

Evidence-Based Medicine↗
PubMed2002

The effect of diabetic control on the incidence of, and changes in, retinopathy in type 2 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between retinopathy and the levels of diabetic control found in type 2 non-insulin dependent diabetic patients. The study covered a four-year period and used retrospective, routinely recorded general practice and optometry records from 260 patients; those with retinopathy (n = 38) and those without retinopathy (n = 222). The study demonstrated a strong relationship between the presence of retinopathy and long-term diabetic control as measured by glycosylated HbA1c, disease duration and, to a lesser extent, the level of urine microalbumin. Blood pressure, cholesterol, body-mass index, and smoking status showed little association with the presence of retinopathy. We conclude that retinopathy, assessed by community optometrists, is a significant correlate of poor diabetic control.

Adult↗