The PhotoScreener™ is essentially a Polaroid™ film camera system designed to record the corneal and retinal reflex. The PhotoScreener™ is portable and relatively easy to operate, making it ideal for use by laypersons, school nurses, and vision screening volunteers. In the vision screening process, a technician identifies the correct distance between the camera and patient, with the aid of focusing lights on the patient’s forehead. Figure 1 shows a pictorial representation of the focusing lights.

Figure 1. Pictoral Representation of the Focusing Lights used to determine the proper distance between patient and camera. The points of the arros touch when the distance between the patient pupil and camera objective is 1 meter or 3 feet.

When positioned correctly, the camera lens is focused on the patient’s pupil at a distance of 1 meter or 3 feet. The subject focuses on the camera aperture with the optional aid of a flashing LED and audible sound to attract attention. When the patient is fixated correctly, the technician pushes a button to acquire an image. The illumination source is mechanically positioned at an angle orthogonal to the first location (see Figure 2), and the technician acquires a second image. The two images can be viewed within one minute and are inspected by the technician for readability.

The PhotoScreener™ must be used in a dimly lit environment. Please be sure your location meets the conditions listed in this guide to ensure the quality of the photographs.

The screening room setting is very important to obtaining good quality photographs. The PhotoScreener™ is sensitivity increases with the size of the subject's pupils. To maximize the pupil size, the room light level should be such that you are just able to see the subject's face. In rooms without variable illumination, we recommend turning off all lights and placing a night light in the room to create sufficient dim illumination. The night light should be out of view of the child so that it does not distract the child's attention. The pupils should be allowed to dilate for 15 - 30 seconds. Use this time to properly aim the PhotoScreener™ on the subject.

It is also important to position the subject away from reflecting surfaces that may bounce unwanted light into the camera lens resulting in overexposed, "washed out" pictures.
We further recommend that when screening begins bring 3 to 4 children into the room together you should have small chairs or mats ready for the children. Set one chair a little away from the other children but in complete view. These help all the children to be more at ease.

The PhotoScreener™ batteries are not charged when shipped from the factory. You should charge the batteries 14 to 16 hours prior to a session or, for immediate capability, use the AC/DC adapter. For AC operation, plug the AC/DC adapter into an electrical outlet and plug the cord into the power jack on the camera's left side.
Observe the Low Battery indicator light when operating on battery power. The light blinks to indicate when battery power is low. When the battery is no longer capable of operating the PhotoScreener™ (a few photos after blinking begins), the light will glow steadily and the system will shut itself off. When this occurs, the PhotoScreener™ should be operated with the AC/DC adapter or the batteries should be recharged.
The PhotoScreener™ utilizes rechargeable Nickel Cadmium (NiCad) batteries which should provide hundreds of recharges and several years of use before requiring replacement. You can maximize the battery's life by recharging only after the low battery light begins to blink. Repeated charging of the batteries before they are fully discharged or continuous charging (keeping the battery plug in) lower their future useable capacity.
To recharge the batteries, simply plug the AC/DC Adapter cable into the camera's left side jack. The camera can now be left to charge the batteries or can be operated in the normal manner off the AC power. Charging will continue even if you use the camera.
As long as the external power remains plugged in, the battery will continue to charge. For maximum battery life, the charger should be un-plugged after 16 hours.
You may wish to have your battery replaced if the NiCad batteries will not hold sufficient charge.

The Polaroid 667, ISO3000/36 30 Sec./Sek./s  B/W film is the only approved film for the PhotoScreener™. Refrigerated film should be allowed to warm to the recommended processing temperature of 60-85°F/16-29°C prior to use.
(A) Hold the PhotoScreener with the left side down.  Open the filmback by pulling out on the bottom of the door latch.  The film door will swing down out of the bottom of the camera.   If an empty film pack is in the camera it will remain in the top part of the filmback.  Remove it by pulling out and down on the white, foam backed tab.  Remove the new film from its protective foil package and insert it into the top part of the filmback with the white foam backed tab facing out.  The black tab of the film safety cover should extend through the door latch.  Check to be sure that the smaller white tabs are not tucked under the pack.  Now pull the black tab of the safety cover all the way out of the filmback and discard it.

Press the Aim/ON button for one full second to turn the power on for all operations of the PhotoScreener™. If film has just been loaded, the large numeric display will briefly show "on", then it will flash "noF" and the green LED's will blink in sequence. Press the Aim/ON button a second time and the cardboard dark slide will immediately eject and the number display will change to "10 ", which is the number of film images remaining in the PhotoScreener™.
The PhotoScreener™ system is equipped with an auto shutdown function that turns the system off after 5 minutes of inactivity. To reactivate, press the Aim/ON button for a full second. The number display will briefly show "on" then change to the number of film images remaining.