4 Screening
General Test Principles
Before beginning a screening tool and/or assessment, ensure the space is optimally set up.
Drag each of the correct principles to the designated drop boxes to identify the optimal environment for assessing vision.
Occupation-based screening
Common daily occupations can be used to screen for the presence of an age-related visual impairment:
- Reading a bill, medication bottle, or a clock
- Clinical observation: Numbers such as 6, 8, 9, 3 may be difficult to different if an individual has a central scotoma (a blind spot in the central visual field)
- Pouring water into a clear glass
- Clinical observation: Difficulty with this task could indicate the person is unable to distinguish items that have low contrast to each other
- Recognizing familiar faces
- Clinical observation: Blurry or missing components of a face may indicate the presence of a scotoma (blind spot) in the central visual field
The Functional Vision Screening Questionnaire is a more formal tool to screen for age-related visual impairment. It is a freely available 21-item questionnaire than can be administered by an interviewer or completed as a self-report by the client. Click here to learn more.
References
Warren M. (1998). Brain Injury Assessment Battery for Adults: Test Manual. Birmingham, AL: visABILITIES Rehab Services, Inc.
Warren, M. (2018). Evaluation and treatment of visual deficits after brain injury. In H. Pendleton & W. Schultz-Krohn (Eds.), Pedretti’s occupational therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction (8th ed.; pp. 594-630). Elsevier.