The Assessment of Vision in Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Systematic Review
Background: Children with learning difficulties that require a vision assessment may not be able to perform standard clinical vision tests, for example, Forced Choice Preferential Looking (FCPL). There is a lack of standardisation on the procedure of vision assessment in this group of children. The...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
White Rose University Press
2024-03-01
|
| Series: | British and Irish Orthoptic Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://account.bioj-online.com/index.php/wr-j-bioj/article/view/324 |
| _version_ | 1797202892224987136 |
|---|---|
| author | Hareem Esmail Gemma Arblaster Laura Haslam |
| author_facet | Hareem Esmail Gemma Arblaster Laura Haslam |
| author_sort | Hareem Esmail |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Children with learning difficulties that require a vision assessment may not be able to perform standard clinical vision tests, for example, Forced Choice Preferential Looking (FCPL). There is a lack of standardisation on the procedure of vision assessment in this group of children. The aim of this literature review was to identify and evaluate methods of vision assessment when standard clinical vision tests are not possible in children with severe learning difficulties. Method: Three databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science) were searched from inception to Nov 2022 for methods of vision assessment in children with learning difficulties. Reference lists and grey literature were also searched. The McMaster University Critical review form for quantitative studies was used to assess the methodological quality of the primary studies identified. Results: Five-hundred and seventy one papers were identified from databases and 16 were identified from searching reference lists and grey literature. Of the 587, five studies were relevant and fulfilled all the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Three methods of vision assessment were identified: Visually Evoked Potentials (VEP), questionnaires, and the Bradford visual function box (BVFB). Discussion: The VEP method was validated and reliable, although it had a similar success rate to the standardised FCPL tests in children with learning difficulties. The BVFB was a standardised method for measurement of vision threshold in children that cannot successfully complete FCPL tests, however it has not been validated. Questionnaires are an efficient way to gather descriptive information on the child’s functional vision, however no guidance on the interpretation of the information is available. The BVFB and questionnaires require further development and validation. All three methods (VEP, questionnaires, and BVFB) can be useful as part of the assessment of vision in a child with severe learning difficulties where standard clinical tests are not possible, when used in a standardised manner. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:10:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7c4e2f42289d4bc2a1739c6fd760dfb3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2516-3590 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T08:10:39Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | White Rose University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | British and Irish Orthoptic Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-7c4e2f42289d4bc2a1739c6fd760dfb32024-04-17T06:37:27ZengWhite Rose University PressBritish and Irish Orthoptic Journal2516-35902024-03-012094–10494–10410.22599/bioj.324324The Assessment of Vision in Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Systematic ReviewHareem Esmail0Gemma Arblaster1https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3656-3740Laura Haslam2Orthoptic Department, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, NewcastleSchool of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, University of Sheffield; Orthoptic Department, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, SheffieldSchool of Allied Health Professions, Nursing and Midwifery, Faculty of Health, University of Sheffield, SheffieldBackground: Children with learning difficulties that require a vision assessment may not be able to perform standard clinical vision tests, for example, Forced Choice Preferential Looking (FCPL). There is a lack of standardisation on the procedure of vision assessment in this group of children. The aim of this literature review was to identify and evaluate methods of vision assessment when standard clinical vision tests are not possible in children with severe learning difficulties. Method: Three databases (CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science) were searched from inception to Nov 2022 for methods of vision assessment in children with learning difficulties. Reference lists and grey literature were also searched. The McMaster University Critical review form for quantitative studies was used to assess the methodological quality of the primary studies identified. Results: Five-hundred and seventy one papers were identified from databases and 16 were identified from searching reference lists and grey literature. Of the 587, five studies were relevant and fulfilled all the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Three methods of vision assessment were identified: Visually Evoked Potentials (VEP), questionnaires, and the Bradford visual function box (BVFB). Discussion: The VEP method was validated and reliable, although it had a similar success rate to the standardised FCPL tests in children with learning difficulties. The BVFB was a standardised method for measurement of vision threshold in children that cannot successfully complete FCPL tests, however it has not been validated. Questionnaires are an efficient way to gather descriptive information on the child’s functional vision, however no guidance on the interpretation of the information is available. The BVFB and questionnaires require further development and validation. All three methods (VEP, questionnaires, and BVFB) can be useful as part of the assessment of vision in a child with severe learning difficulties where standard clinical tests are not possible, when used in a standardised manner.https://account.bioj-online.com/index.php/wr-j-bioj/article/view/324vision assessmentlearning difficulties |
| spellingShingle | Hareem Esmail Gemma Arblaster Laura Haslam The Assessment of Vision in Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Systematic Review British and Irish Orthoptic Journal vision assessment learning difficulties |
| title | The Assessment of Vision in Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Systematic Review |
| title_full | The Assessment of Vision in Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Systematic Review |
| title_fullStr | The Assessment of Vision in Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Systematic Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Assessment of Vision in Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Systematic Review |
| title_short | The Assessment of Vision in Children with Severe Learning Difficulties: A Systematic Review |
| title_sort | assessment of vision in children with severe learning difficulties a systematic review |
| topic | vision assessment learning difficulties |
| url | https://account.bioj-online.com/index.php/wr-j-bioj/article/view/324 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT hareemesmail theassessmentofvisioninchildrenwithseverelearningdifficultiesasystematicreview AT gemmaarblaster theassessmentofvisioninchildrenwithseverelearningdifficultiesasystematicreview AT laurahaslam theassessmentofvisioninchildrenwithseverelearningdifficultiesasystematicreview AT hareemesmail assessmentofvisioninchildrenwithseverelearningdifficultiesasystematicreview AT gemmaarblaster assessmentofvisioninchildrenwithseverelearningdifficultiesasystematicreview AT laurahaslam assessmentofvisioninchildrenwithseverelearningdifficultiesasystematicreview |