Code of Maine Rules › 05 - DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION › 071 - EDUCATION - GENERAL › Chapter 45 - RULE FOR VISION AND HEARING SCREENING IN MAINE PUBLIC SCHOOLS › Section 071-45-1 - Definitions

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
Critical Line Screening:
The "critical line" is
				  an age-dependent line on which a child should correctly identify 3 or more
				  optotypes according to that child's age. Critical line screening uses only the
				  age-dependent line.
Distance Vision:
Distance vision means the
				  ability to adequately see objects at a distance. Screening for distance vision
				  is intended to identify students with myopia, a refractive error in which light
				  rays converge before they reach the retina.
Eye Specialist:
An eye specialist is a health
				  care provider specializing in diagnosing and treating vision problems and/or
				  diseases of the eye. Eye specialists include optometrists, ophthalmologists,
				  pediatric optometrists, and pediatric ophthalmologists.
Full Threshold Screening:
Full threshold
				  screening begins by asking the child to identify the first optotype at the top
				  of the chart and the first optotype on each line until an optotype is
				  misidentified. The screener moves up a line and asks the child to identify each
				  optotype on that line and continues down the chart using each optotype on each
				  line until a child misses 3 or more optotypes. The last line the child
				  correctly identified 3 or more optotypes is the visual acuity value for that
				  eye. Full threshold screening permits the screener to identify a minimum 2
				  -line difference between the eyes.
Health Care Provider:
A health care provider is
				  a medical/health practitioner who has a current license in the State of Maine
				  with a scope of practice that includes assessment, diagnosis and treatment of
				  health disorders. Health care providers include physicians, physician's
				  assistants and advance nurse practitioners. For the purposes of vision
				  screening, health care provider may also include optometrists and
				  ophthalmologists. For the purposes of hearing screening, health care provider
				  may also include an audiologist.
Instrument-Based Screening:
Using evidence-based
				  instruments to screen for amblyopia risk factors and reduced vision risk
				  factors and provide estimates of refractive error and estimates of eye
				  misalignment; or screen for direct detection of strabismus and amblyopia
				  Instrument-based screening does not measure visual acuity and instrument-based
				  screening results may not be converted to visual acuity values.
Near Vision:
Near vision means the ability to
				  adequately see objects near, such as when reading. Screening for near vision is
				  intended to identify students with hyperopia, a refractive error in which light
				  rays have not converged before reaching the retina.
Occluder:
Used to cover the eye during distance
				  and near visual acuity screening. Occluders for children ages 3 to 10 years may
				  be adhesive eye patches, 2-inch wide hypoallergenic surgical tape, or occluder
				  glasses. Occluders for children ages 10 years and older can be adhesive eye
				  patches, 2-inch wide hypoallergenic surgical tape, or paddles to cover one eye
				  at a time or a mask that covers one eye with an open hole for the other eye.
				  Hands, tissues, paper paddles, or paper and plastic cups are not
				  permitted.
Optotypes:
An optotype is the name for the
				  symbol, letter, or number on an eye chart or computer program the student is to
				  identify.
Optotype-Based Screening:
Using evidence-based
				  eye charts or computer software programs to screen for visual acuity using full
				  threshold or critical line formats.
Parent:
Parent means a natural or adoptive
				  parent, a guardian, or a person acting as a parent of a child with legal
				  responsibility for the child's welfare.
Preschool screening:
A health screening that
				  occurs within the first 30 days of the start of school that includes hearing
				  screening and vision screening.,
Puretone Audiometer:
A puretone audiometer is a
				  machine designed to screen for hearing loss. A variety of frequencies, measured
				  in Hertz (Hz) audible to the human ear are played in each ear at a defined
				  decibel (dB).
Referral:
Referral means the submission of a
				  written form from school directing the parent to bring their child to a health
				  care provider (which includes ophthalmologists, optometrists, and audiologists
				  for this rule) for an evaluation of the potential health problem.
School Nurse:
School nurse means a registered
				  professional nurse with Maine Department of Education certification for school
				  nursing.
Screening:
Screening means a process of
				  identifying students with a possible health problem in order to facilitate
				  early intervention or treatment.