Screening Process tips and training

If your visioneers have not seen the Welch Allen Spot Vision Screener training (below) it is highly recommended that they do. You will learn something new each time, so go ahead and watch it again each year.

Note: the user manual warns that the wrist strap is not designed to support the weight of the camera. It’s a good idea (and we insist) to use the safety strap to prevent dropping the camera, but it is not to be used for routine carrying of the camera.

Screening room set-up.  A best practice is to hold screenings in a dimly lit room. The only lighting should be dim fluorescent lighting. Any light will cause subjects pupils to shrink and the camera may not be able to image the subject. If there is light in the room it is preferred behind the subjects back instead of behind your own. Subjects with glasses will reflect any light source behind you and make imaging more difficult.

Charge the camera fully before use.  The camera will shut down if the battery is getting low. It’s OK to use the camera while charging, but it’s not recommended for electrical safety and trip hazard reasons. When fully charged the camera will operate continuously for about four hours (on new batteries).

What do you do when the camera shuts down on it’s own while in operation?  History will not be lost when the camera shuts down. Restart the camera and review the history to verify that your most recent subject’s data is still present – just in case.  Low battery charge is the most likely cause.  Plug the camera into it’s power supply and continue screenings.

Furnishings: Placing a small desk or table between you and the subject is a best practice. Subject and screener sit in chairs on opposite sides of the table. The camera can be held steady on the table and angled upward or downward as necessary. Slide the camera slowly along the table as prompted by the camera to achieve the correct distance from the subject for imaging.   

HIPPA Compliance: Do not input personal information (names). Insist that your host provide you with an ID number for the subjects. Suggest they use the student ID number that all students are issued. This way you are complying with HIPPA and they can still identify their students with ease.  If they prefer not to then simply number them sequentially and ask the nurse or an assistant to record names vs. numbers for the school.
Results and Stickers: Give every subject a sticker.

Do not print results for every subject. Save paper, ink and wear on the printer by only printing reports on those subjects that receive a recommendation for full eye exam.  

You don’t have to print results immediately.  You have the option of completing all screening and then printing recommendations from history. This also has the benefit of not making any students concerned that they have been singled out while they wait for results to print.  

Export data onto a thumb drive. You can easily download all of the data the school nurse will need onto a thumb drive for their records. Simply go to the "tools" menu, select import/export then follow the instructions. It’s best practice to ensure the nurse has successfully retrieved the data from the thumb drive before you delete the data from the camera.  Always delete all data from the camera and show the nurse that the camera holds no data by showing her the history screen and queue screen, before you leave the premises.  This is done to build confidence in the hosting schools that we are retaining no data of ANY kind.  

Screen with Glasses on or Glasses off?  Glasses on is preferred. If a subject is wearing glasses their parents know that they have a vision anomaly. What they don't know is if the prescription corrects their child's vision to within normal parameters. Hint: If the subject is not wearing glasses ask the question "do you have eyeglasses". Often they are ashamed of how they look and intentionally don't wear them. If you ask they can go get them and you can test them with their glasses on. Even if they don't have their glasses ensure you check "Glasses", and then check "not wearing glasses" when prompted.

Have fun!  The kids are a crack up!  Make sure they “SMILE FOR THE CAMERA”.