Unique Screening Process Proven to Address Fundamental Deficiencies in School Vision Screening and Save Special Education Costs for Certain Students

GLADWYNE, Pa., Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- VTA announces the release of the latest version of VERA3™ (Visual Efficiency RAting) school vision screening software as well as a free program download, which can make the purchase of other vision screening equipment and supplies unnecessary.  

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Developed by eye doctors, educators and school nurses, VERA3 offers a model of a much-needed national standard for school vision screening; one which identifies more students with routine vision difficulties, helps to complete their referrals and saves other students whose vision affects learning from special education.  

VERA3 is the first program to address the enormous personal, educational and monetary costs of compromised school vision screening by providing a superior, standardized testing method and automated reporting of test results.  Up to 25% of students in grades K6 have visual problems that can impede learning (American Public Health Association) and up to 80% of learning disabled children have undiagnosed vision problems (Vision Council of America).  Until now, most unresolved vision issues have resulted from widely varying state vision screening regulations as well as legitimate time constraints and varying testing skills of school nurses and the reliance on inaccurate traditional eye charts.  When vision problems are found, many are lost to follow-up and about half remain unresolved and continue to negatively affect schoolwork.

In a single source, VERA3 provides the optimal combination of vision screening tests that reliably identify the same number of, and often more, students required by any state vision screening regulations (minus color vision)  No special clinical testing skills are required.  

The easy to administer standardized tests are preceded by helpful instruction screens; program alerts safeguard against invalid testing; and VERA's SmartScreen® automatically reduces screening time.  Schools using VERA have reported more students being identified and more referrals being fulfilled using VERA's personalized reports to parents, eye doctors and teachers as well as the system's automated follow-up of unfulfilled referrals.  

Only VERA3 provides a second, optional "vision skills" screening for schools to systematically identify the millions of underachieving students distracted or impeded from learning because of abnormal control of focusing, tracking and binocular vision.  Recently published research in the American Optometric Association's journal, Optometry, has again validated VERA's identification of students with these "vision skills" issues, and VERA's support and therapy referral options have resulted in improved reading grade level and fewer expensive special educational services.  

Schools will finally be able to make informed decisions regarding its students. Knowing when to skew instruction towards auditory and conceptual rather than visual learning and when to skew instruction towards auditory and conceptual rather than visual learning and when to impartially inform parents of potentially beneficial outside treatment options will benefit all involved.  

As Dr. Michael Gallaway, a Marlton, NJ-based optometrist, notes, "VERA is being used in three school districts near my office.  The vast majority of children who were referred had learning-related visual deficits that were effectively remediated.  The children become better readers and learners, and the schools saved money on special educational services.  A win for all concerned."

Visual Technology Applications (VTA) is providing much of the content of the newest VERA3 Windows software as a completely free internet download from www.visualscreening.com .   With the free routine vision tests, more students who require routine vision correction can be identified than with conventional eye charts, and VERA's included automated reports of screening results to parents and eye doctors can encourage corrective vision care.  

A few tests require inexpensive test lenses that can be purchased from VTA or elsewhere.  A program upgrade to the full version of VERA 3 provides additional testing and reporting capability, enhancements to reduce screening time, opportunities for improved referral fulfillment, data management tools and activation of the vision skills screening .  

Single licenses for the program upgrade are currently $379 with multiple license discounts.  Testing lenses are purchased separately.  For more information, visit www.visualscreening.com or contact Stephen Galanter, OD, Visual Technology Applications, Inc. at [email protected], via voicemail to (215) 483-2323 or via mail to 1732 Riverview Road, Gladwyne, PA 19035-1213.

SOURCE Visual Technology Applications, Inc.