Sports Vision Training

While regular eye exams are important for checking the health of your eyes and your visual acuity (how clearly you can see a still object at different distances), sports vision testing is recommended for anyone who takes their athletic performance seriously.  In sports, almost 80% of perceptual input is visual. But even 20/20 vision does not mean athletes are performing at their peak. Objects don’t just sit there. They move. Fast. Regular eye exams may reveal that you can see clearly, but they can’t tell how well you ascertain where a ball is in space, how fast it’s traveling or if it’s changing direction. Sports Vision utilizes a performance-oriented evaluation to determine how to maximize your visual potential and enhance your game.  With top-of-the line technology, each athlete will complete a series of tests that will compare your performance to other athletes that are competing at the same or higher levels.

Visual skills needed for sports performance

There are several key visual skills that are enhanced through sports vision programs for athletes that aim to achieve their optimal sports performance, these include:

Dynamic visual acuity: this refers to the patient’s ability to see objects clearly while in motion. This is exceptionally important as hand-eye coordination and reflex reactions are essential for success in most sporting activities.

Contrast sensitivity: good contrast sensitivity is needed to determine the difference between an object and its surroundings. Contrast sensitivity is particularly important in situations where there may be low light, fog or glare that could diminish the natural contrast between objects and backgrounds. 

Eye tracking: this refers to the ability to follow a fast-moving object, such as a ball or puck.

Near-Far Quickness: athletes need to be able to change their focus quickly and accurately from one distance to another.   This is important for movement, spatial judgment, and making timely decisions. 

Binocular vision skills: also known as eye teaming skills, these skills determine how well your eyes work with one another to produce a single, clear image.

Perception Span:   Perceiving and retaining broad range of visual information helps make quick and accurate decisions.  

Reaction Time:  Reacting quickly to visual input is crucial to success in all areas of life.  

Target Capture:  Fast Coordination between peripheral and central vision ensure you observe important information.  

Eye-Hand Coordination: Moving the hands quickly and accurately base on visual input is foundation to interaction with the world.  

Go/No Go:  Inhibiting motion in response to new information protects from mistakes and potential injury. 

Processing speed: visual processing speed is defined as the amount of time it takes to make a correct judgement about a visual stimulus – for example, how fast a ball is travelling towards them. 

Peripheral awareness: athletes also need to be able to be aware of what is happening at the edges of their vision while also concentrating on a fixed object in front of them. Sports vision testing can enable your eye doctor to spot any weaknesses that you may have in any of these key visual skills. By identifying them, it is possible for you to undergo treatment to overcome theses issues and meet your specific goals that will ultimately enhance your overall athletic performance. This is known as sports vision training.  

What’s involved in sports vision training?

Sports vision training refers to a personalized treatment plan that is designed to train the brain to achieve maximum efficiency in the way that it receives, processes, and responds to visual input. Exactly what is involved in your sports vision training will depend on your athletic activity and the visual skills that your eye doctor identifies for improvement after comprehensive sports vision testing. Your treatment program will use a variety of tools, techniques, and exercises. You may also be asked to complete some exercises at home to further enhance your progress. With sports vision training, the ultimate goal is for athletes to continue to see faster and clearer, giving them a distinct competitive edge. 

Using RightEye Sports Vision EyeQ measures and analyzes your eye movement, brain processing and reaction time against peers, amateurs and pro athletes. When the report identifies opportunities for improvement, our optometrists will customize a plan for you, built from an online library of 150+ training drills. And in just a few weeks, you could be upping your game.

Your optometrist will develop a 6- week personalized training program that will enhance your visual potential and propel your athletic abilities to their peak. Each athlete will begin their program with one in-office training session per week along with additional at home training. Progress is continuously tracked and adaptations are made as the skills improve. Upon completion of the 6-week session, a reassessment of skills is conducted. If the performance level desired is accomplished, the course is completed.  If not, additional training sessions can be scheduled.

Call us to schedule your Sports Vision Evaluation today.