Included is information on establishing a system or upgrading existing services, selecting appropriate screening tools, referring persons in need of professional vision care, obtaining appropriate treatment, and providing follow-up services required to ensure that all persons with severe handicaps receive the best possible vision care. (Author/SB)

Intellectual ability is assessed with the Spot-the-Word (STW) test (A. Baddeley, H. Emslie, & I. Nimmo Smith, 1993) by asking respondents to identify a word in a word-nonword item pair. Results in moderate-sized samples suggest this ability is resistant to decline due to dementia. The authors used a 3-parameter item response theory model to…

Shows that visual acuity is a function of the structure of the eye and that its limit is set by the structure of the retina, emphasizing the role of lens aberrations and difraction on image quality. Also compares human vision with that of other vertebrates and insects. (JN)

Results of this study suggests that as the teacher is attempting to find the source of a young child's reading difficulties he might have the child's level of ocular development examined. (Authors)

Visual literacy refers to a group of vision-competencies a human being can develop by seeing, and at the same time having and integrating other sensory experiences. (Author)

It is concluded from the study that the three tests tested are not interchangeable despite the fact that they appear to measure similar perceptual functions. All three tests should be combined in a battery if used for diagnostic purposes. (Author)

Investigated was whether partially seeing children see the Snellen E, printed in selected colored inks on various colored backgrounds, at different distances in terms of initial recognition and best focus. (Author)

The comparison of Orthorater vision tester and Snellen chart far visual acuity results for 261 National Technical Institute for the Deaf (NTID) students. Results indicated that a rear illuminated Snellen chart is an acceptable alternative to the Orthorater for screening postsecondary, hearing impaired students' far visual acuity. (Author)

The article orients the reader to numerous aspects of low vision aids, including types of aids, function of aids, training sequence and considerations, a non-technical description of visual acuity, and favorable prognostic factors in using low vision aids. A brief annotated resource list is included. (Author)

This article reports on a study of the methods that 21 ophthalmologists used to assess the visual acuity of children with multiple impairments and the difficulties they encountered. Additional means of assessing visual function and alternative means of communicating the results are suggested. (Author/DB)

A survey completed by 1237 adults with severe visual impairments found that 20% described the quality of their sleep as poor or very poor. Exercise was associated with better sleep and depression with poorer sleep. However, visual acuity did not predict sleep quality, casting doubt on the idea that restricted visual input (light) causes sleep…

Assessment of visual acuity, using Teller Acuity Cards, was combined with observations of behavioral state to indicate central nervous system activation in 24 individuals with mental retardation. Results indicate that forced-choice preferential-looking technique can be used to test visual acuity in this population unless the participant is drowsy.…