The Teller Acuity Card Procedure: An Acuity Screening Technique for Pre-Verbal Children

Abstract

The acuity card procedure has been proposed as an acuity screening technique for pre-verbal children because of its ease and speed of use and the availability of age norms. In the present study, the visual acuity of 43 infants and toddlers between the ages of 1–44 months was assessed with the Teller Acuity Card Procedure during two, two-hour vision screenings in hospital settings. Each screening consisted of standard ophthalmological tests in addition to the acuity assessments. Ninety-one percent (39/43) of the children completed both monocular-right and monocular-left tests of acuity. All children who did not complete both monocular tests did cooperate for a binocular test. Acuity testing averaged 10 minutes per child. Nine children (21%) were referred for follow-up care. The acuity screening identified five of the nine children as having an inter-ocular acuity difference of one octave or more and three were identified as needing follow-up care by acuity screening alone. Follow-up cycloplegic refraction of these three children revealed refractive errors and anisometropia was present in two of the children. Results indicate that the acuity cards provide useful screening information, but that if test time is a consideration, the procedure may be used as an adjunct to standard ophthalmological tests for those children identified as being at risk for ophthalmic disorders.

• Teller Acuity cards
• preferential looking
• visual acuity
• vision screening
• infants
• children