Implications of a Remote Study of Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment for Conducting Virtual Pediatric Eye Care Research: Virtual Assessment Is Possible for Children With CVI
The Pandemic of 2020 impacted conducting in-person research. Our proposed project already had an asynchronous online component but was later morphed to add a synchronous online component, thereby eliminating the need for in-person assessment. The project compares the results of various tests between...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-09-01
|
| Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.733179/full |
| _version_ | 1819123154150227968 |
|---|---|
| author | Reem Almagati Barry S. Kran Barry S. Kran |
| author_facet | Reem Almagati Barry S. Kran Barry S. Kran |
| author_sort | Reem Almagati |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Pandemic of 2020 impacted conducting in-person research. Our proposed project already had an asynchronous online component but was later morphed to add a synchronous online component, thereby eliminating the need for in-person assessment. The project compares the results of various tests between a group of children with Cerebral Visual Impairments (CVI) (N = 4) and an age-matched sample of children without CVI (N = 3) from a pediatric low vision clinic. This model was trialed with a small convenient sample of typically developing children in the same age range (N = 4). Given the positive feedback, recruitment for the larger study was done via encrypted e-mail rather than through traditional mailing. The asynchronous components included recruitment, pre-assessment information, the Flemish CVI questionnaire, Vineland-3 comprehensive parent questionnaire for assessment of age equivalent, and vision function tests, such as contrast sensitivity. The synchronous components were administered via Zoom telehealth provided by necoeyecare.org and included assessment of visual acuity via the Freiburg Visual Acuity and Contrast Test (FrACT) electronic software and assessment of visual perceptual batteries via the Children’s Visual Impairment Test for developmental ages 3–6-years (CVIT 3–6). Our virtual testing protocol was successful in the seven participants tested. This paper reviews and critiques the model that we utilized and discusses ways in which this model can be improved. Aside from public health considerations during the pandemic, this approach is more convenient for many families. In a broader perspective, this approach can be scaled for larger N studies of rare conditions, such as CVI without being confined by proximity to the researcher. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T07:03:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6a7f731c0eb64d2180ce2d760b7aba01 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1662-5161 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T07:03:50Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj.art-6a7f731c0eb64d2180ce2d760b7aba012022-12-21T18:34:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612021-09-011510.3389/fnhum.2021.733179733179Implications of a Remote Study of Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment for Conducting Virtual Pediatric Eye Care Research: Virtual Assessment Is Possible for Children With CVIReem Almagati0Barry S. Kran1Barry S. Kran2New England College of Optometry (NECO), Boston, MA, United StatesNew England College of Optometry (NECO), Boston, MA, United StatesNECO Center for Eye Care at Perkins, Watertown, MA, United StatesThe Pandemic of 2020 impacted conducting in-person research. Our proposed project already had an asynchronous online component but was later morphed to add a synchronous online component, thereby eliminating the need for in-person assessment. The project compares the results of various tests between a group of children with Cerebral Visual Impairments (CVI) (N = 4) and an age-matched sample of children without CVI (N = 3) from a pediatric low vision clinic. This model was trialed with a small convenient sample of typically developing children in the same age range (N = 4). Given the positive feedback, recruitment for the larger study was done via encrypted e-mail rather than through traditional mailing. The asynchronous components included recruitment, pre-assessment information, the Flemish CVI questionnaire, Vineland-3 comprehensive parent questionnaire for assessment of age equivalent, and vision function tests, such as contrast sensitivity. The synchronous components were administered via Zoom telehealth provided by necoeyecare.org and included assessment of visual acuity via the Freiburg Visual Acuity and Contrast Test (FrACT) electronic software and assessment of visual perceptual batteries via the Children’s Visual Impairment Test for developmental ages 3–6-years (CVIT 3–6). Our virtual testing protocol was successful in the seven participants tested. This paper reviews and critiques the model that we utilized and discusses ways in which this model can be improved. Aside from public health considerations during the pandemic, this approach is more convenient for many families. In a broader perspective, this approach can be scaled for larger N studies of rare conditions, such as CVI without being confined by proximity to the researcher.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.733179/fullcerebral visual impairmentspediatric eye researchassessmentsynchronousasynchronous |
| spellingShingle | Reem Almagati Barry S. Kran Barry S. Kran Implications of a Remote Study of Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment for Conducting Virtual Pediatric Eye Care Research: Virtual Assessment Is Possible for Children With CVI Frontiers in Human Neuroscience cerebral visual impairments pediatric eye research assessment synchronous asynchronous |
| title | Implications of a Remote Study of Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment for Conducting Virtual Pediatric Eye Care Research: Virtual Assessment Is Possible for Children With CVI |
| title_full | Implications of a Remote Study of Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment for Conducting Virtual Pediatric Eye Care Research: Virtual Assessment Is Possible for Children With CVI |
| title_fullStr | Implications of a Remote Study of Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment for Conducting Virtual Pediatric Eye Care Research: Virtual Assessment Is Possible for Children With CVI |
| title_full_unstemmed | Implications of a Remote Study of Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment for Conducting Virtual Pediatric Eye Care Research: Virtual Assessment Is Possible for Children With CVI |
| title_short | Implications of a Remote Study of Children With Cerebral Visual Impairment for Conducting Virtual Pediatric Eye Care Research: Virtual Assessment Is Possible for Children With CVI |
| title_sort | implications of a remote study of children with cerebral visual impairment for conducting virtual pediatric eye care research virtual assessment is possible for children with cvi |
| topic | cerebral visual impairments pediatric eye research assessment synchronous asynchronous |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2021.733179/full |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT reemalmagati implicationsofaremotestudyofchildrenwithcerebralvisualimpairmentforconductingvirtualpediatriceyecareresearchvirtualassessmentispossibleforchildrenwithcvi AT barryskran implicationsofaremotestudyofchildrenwithcerebralvisualimpairmentforconductingvirtualpediatriceyecareresearchvirtualassessmentispossibleforchildrenwithcvi AT barryskran implicationsofaremotestudyofchildrenwithcerebralvisualimpairmentforconductingvirtualpediatriceyecareresearchvirtualassessmentispossibleforchildrenwithcvi |