The study examined the effectiveness of the use of nonoptical tinted (Irlen) lenses with 44 children (ages 9-16) with reading disabilities. Evaluation after 6 and 12 months indicated a significant improvement in attitude to school and to basic academic skills. Reading comprehension and accuracy, but not rate, were also significantly improved.…

Many state optometric licensing boards require a scaled or percentage score of 75 on each section. A study of multiple criteria and pass-fail rates suggests that high failure rates are a result not of candidate ability but of arbitrary classification of test content. State boards are encouraged to resolve these problems. (MSE)

Explanations are provided about Maine's special education, vocational education, vocational rehabilitation, and eye care programs and services, to assist teachers and counselors to understand better the mission, eligibility requirements, and service resources each brings to the planning process for students with handicaps. The guidelines were…

Important aspects of instructional design are outlined for optometry teachers, including steps in the instructional design process, writing specific behavioral objectives, and determining the appropriate setting, instructional dimensions (teacher role, level of student participation, and relevance to students' future responsibilities), and…

Files on a Macintosh computer network at the Pacific University College of Optometry include: text outlines of topics; comprehensive dual mode random-access databases; two-sided flashcard decks and multi-sided computer flashcards; and progressive charts. Files may be used directly on the network or copied to students' floppy disks. (Author/MLW)

For the primary eye care practitioner in the 1990s and beyond, the basic biomedical sciences have supplanted physiological optics as the primary academic discipline underlying the practice of optometry. Several curriculum development options are available to incorporate the needed material, but a core curriculum is essential at all institutions.…

Four essays address the ethical and moral obligations of educational administrators in establishing the moral tone of the community and the postgraduate behavior of students. Topics include an ethical community; ethics in optometric education and practice; ethics and the college presidency; and ethics and administrative leadership. (MSE)

A technique used to teach removal of foreign bodies from eyes uses freshly slaughtered calves' eyes in which metal particles are embedded at different depths. The approach develops both mechanical skills and problem-oriented evaluation and management of patients. Preparation and presentation of workshops using the technique are also discussed.…

In this cooperative agreement, Maine's Division of Special Education, Bureau of Adult and Secondary Vocational Education, and Bureau of Rehabilitation (including the Vocational Rehabilitation Program and the Division of Eye Care) document their intent to develop collaboratively programs to provide educational, vocational, occupational, supportive,…

A discussion of current changes in optometry looks at the expanding for-profit health sector, changing student characteristics and enrollment patterns, the changing scope of optometric care and technology, and the demise of professionalism and ethics. Implications for pharmaceutical education are considered. (MSE)

A survey of 1,775 Ohio health care providers in 5 disciplines concerning the demand for professional continuing education is reported. Results indicate that program content, date, time, and location are the most important factors influencing program attendance. Specific comparisons are made between optometry and other health care professions. (MSE)

A new optometry-oriented program for the Macintosh computer has been written for the Neural Sciences Computer-Assisted Learning Package to include graphics and synthesized speech. It has 21 modules in 6 categories: anatomical drawings; diagrams illustrating physiological concepts; records from experiments; flow charts of neuroanatomical pathways;…

This article considers the visual rehabilitation of patients recovering from traumatic brain injuries. Characteristics, symptoms, and associated neuromotor difficulties of posttrauma vision syndrome are listed, as are common posture and gait adaptations. A neuro-optometric rehabilitative and orientation/mobility evaluation is recommended, as is…

Describes development and design of the Comprehensive Clinical Performance Grid for Student Evaluation, created to address concerns about what constitutes a competent practitioner and to provide a useful and consistent student-evaluation tool for clinical optometric education. Development challenges are also discussed, including staff training and…

At the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, a core course in pediatric optometry was revised to use a problem-centered approach and implemented with a class of 147 students. Students were assigned specific roles to distribute work evenly. A survey found students responded positively to this approach. (MSE)