Sports Vision

Dynamic Visual Acuity - the ability to see objects clearly while you
and/or objects are moving.

Visual Concentration - the ability to screen out distractions and stay
focused on the ball or the target.

Eye Tracking - the ability to follow objects with the eyes without much
head movement.

Eye-Hand-Body Coordination - the ability of hands, feet, and body
to respond to the information gathered through the eyes.

Visual Memory - the ability to process and remember a fast moving,
complex picture of people and things.

Visualization - the skill that enables athletes to see themselves
performing well in their "mind's eye", while concentrating on something
else, usually the ball.

Peripheral Vision - the ability to see action to the side without having
to turn the head.

Visual Reaction Time - the speed with which the brain interprets
and reacts to visual information, such as an opponent's actions.

Depth Perception - the ability to quickly and accurately judge the
distance between yourself, the ball, your opponents, teammates,
boundary lines and other objects.

What is sports vision training?

A program of sports vision training may provide the visual edge
needed to win. The training is geared to the specific sports-related
vision skills important for each sport. Just as exercise and practice
can increase an athlete's speed and strength, it can also improve
their vision skills.

Sports vision training, also called vision therapy, is a form of eye
exercises that trains the eyes to focus, move, and work together
more effectively. It changes how the eyes see and how the brain
uses the visual information the eyes send to it.

Training programs are designed to help a person learn or develop
specific vision skills by using them repeatedly in a supervised
training situation. The number and types of tasks vary depending
on the specific visually-related sports skills needing improvement.
In sports vision training, patients unlearn incorrect or inefficient
seeing habits and gain improved ones. However, unlike other forms
of exercise, the goal of sports vision training is not to strengthen eye
muscles, but to improve needed visual abilities.

Vision can play an important role in sports performance. Every
sport has its unique visual demands and challenges. Coordination,
concentration, balance, and accuracy are just a few of the
visually-related abilities used when playing sports.

Inadequate vision skills can sometimes be the reason for poor
sports performance. Signs that a vision problem may be affecting
athletic performance include:

What vision skills are key to sports performance?

There is more to good vision than just seeing clearly. Vision is
composed of many interrelated skills that can affect how well a
child plays a sport. Key vision skills needed for top sports
performance include: