SPORTS VISION

Can seeing better really improve your game? The answer is a resounding "yes"! Vision tells you where the ball is, when to react to it, and gives you feedback on the accuracy of your hand and body movements.

Symptoms of a vision problem that may appear in any sport include: frequently missing easy plays, squinting, inconsistent performance from game to game, and difficulty playing under lights indoors or outdoors.

There are also symptoms related to specific sports. Tennis players, for example, may have a vision problem if they consistently have difficulty hitting certain strokes inside the baseline, miss a lot of serves, hit the wood of the racquet excessively, or consistently swing too early or too late. In baseball or softball poor vision can lead to frequently striking out, swinging too early or too late, or difficulty fielding the ball.

Vision also affects your speed of reaction time, timing, and ability to judge direction and distance. Information received through the eyes tells you when to swing a bat or racquet, which direction to hit the golf ball, and how far to shoot a basketball. If your eyes don't track well, you'll lose sight of the ball or puck. If your eyes don't coordinate well, depth perception and timing are adversely affected. If your eye-hand coordination is slightly off, you'll have difficulty catching, throwing or hitting with precision.

Spectators or coaches who notice one or more of the above symptoms should suggest that the athlete have a thorough examination of eye health, visual acuity, and the various visual skills important to athletic performance.

Optometrists who specialize in the field of Sports Vision continue to develop ways to improve athletes' visual skills to support game performance. This is a field that is in its infancy, but will grow as more athletes benefit from enhanced visual skills.

Whatever the Sport, Eye Protection is a Must

To prevent sports eye injuries, athletes should use protective athletic eyewear whether or not a prescription is needed. Shatter-resistant polycarbonate lenses must be used because it is the only material that will sufficiently protect your eyes from being injured if your glasses are hit.

Sports eyewear options include:

• Sports frames with features such as padded bridges, deep-grooved eyewires, (so lenses won't fall out if the frame is hit hard), a face-formed shape for a wider field of view, and headband attachments to keep them in place.
• For convenience, prescription lenses can be put in ski goggles, scuba diving masks, or swim goggles.
• Protective eyewear that fits over glasses or contact lenses
• To minimize fogging, use anti-fog compounds on lenses, wear a sweatband, or use a towel to wipe away prescription. Frames with adjustable nose pads can also help.

Of the 35,000 Americans who suffer sports-related eye injuries each year, more than 90 percent could have prevented by practicing proper eye safety and protecting their eyes, the Better Vision Institute (BVI) says.

Good vision is as important to sports performance as good physical conditioning and consistent mental concentration.

For racquet sports, eye safety guard or industrial quality safety glasses are helpful. Helmets with eye shields are recommended for football and other contact sports. For high speed or contact sports such as skiing or hockey, polycarbonate (shatter-resistant) lenses and special frames are sturdy enough to protect the eyes from collision.

Sunglasses and protective goggles can protect the eyes from glare, ultraviolet rays and exposure to weather elements.

Please see our staff for eyewear recommendations for your favorite sport.