Prism adaptation, in which the participant adapts to prismatic glasses that deflect vision laterally, is a specific test of cerebellar function. Fourteen dyslexic children (mean age 13.5 years); 14 children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD): 6 of whom had comorbid dyslexia; and 12 control children matched for age and IQ underwent…

It has been discovered recently that monocular deprivation in young adult mice induces ocular dominance plasticity (ODP). This contradicts the traditional belief that ODP is restricted to a juvenile critical period. However, questions remain. ODP of young adults has been observed only using methods that are indirectly related to vision, and the…

This consensus statement on best practices for choosing low-vision devices is a product of a 10-member expert panel which brought together a variety of disciplines as well as consumers for the purpose of synthesizing available scientific information to improve services to people with low vision. After an introductory section, the remaining…

The development and structure of the comprehensive Low Vision Service of the New York Association for the Blind are used as the basis for discussing both positive and negative features of agency-based low vision clinics for the partially sighted. (LH)

In order to provide needed optometric services to partially sighted individuals and to alleviate a critical manpower shortage, trained paraprofessional assistants should be part of the low vision clinic team. (Author/LH)

Two adaptive psychophysical procedures (tracking and "yes-no" staircase) for obtaining human visual contrast sensitivity functions (CSF) were evaluated. The procedures were chosen based on their proven validity and the desire to evaluate the practical effects of stimulus transients, since tracking procedures traditionally employ gradual…

The diagnosis and treatment of early learning problems and their relation to visual development is the subject of a series of 12 articles. The optometric viewpoint expressed is that vision is learned. A child's method of organizing his world, and manifestations of his disorganized behavior, including poor early academic achievement, probably…

An instrument used to assist teachers in the prescription of appropriate print size for the partially sighted student, the Teacher's Evaluation for Low Vision Needs, was field-tested for reliability with 54 legally blind and partially sighted students (7-14 years old) who used large print books. (Author/DLS)

Seventeen visually impaired children, aged 7-11 years, were compared with sighted children on a test of facial recognition and a test of expression identification. The visually impaired children were less able to recognize faces successfully but showed no disadvantage in discerning facial expressions such as happiness, anger, surprise, or fear.…

The article presents a two-phase process for use by multidisciplinary teams making decisions on the reading medium for students with visual impairments. The first phase is a diagnostic teaching phase to guide initial decision making. The second phase, continued evaluation, leads to ongoing adjustment of the selected medium or media. (Author/DB)

The Department of Veterans Affairs VICTORS (Vision Impairment Center To Optimize Remaining Sight) Program emphasizes individual independence through the use of low vision devices and training. The social worker's role combines traditional counseling with administrative responsibilities, such as interviewing the patient to identify needs and…

The Low Vision Service of Perkins School for the Blind (Massachusetts) developed a model project to provide comprehensive vision evaluations and follow-up services to 169 children with dual sensory impairments throughout New England. This article describes the project's objectives, the population served, and the procedures for implementing…

Early detection of significant vision problems in children is a high priority for pediatricians and school nurses. Routine vision screening is a necessary part of that detection and has traditionally involved acuity charts. However, photoscreening in which "red eye" is elicited to show whether each eye is focusing may outperform routine acuity…

This report examines the causes of error in two techniques for measuring eye fixation position. Theoretical calculations of the magnitude of sources of error are shown to produce good agreement with empirically derived magnitudes for adult and neonate eyes.