The philosophy behind testing and improving visual skills for optimum athletic performance differs from one sport
to another. For example, golfers need good eye-hand coordination, timing, and
depth perception. But they don't need to work so much on visual memory, which is
useful for team athletes who must continually record where other players and objects
are, in order to make their next move.
Eye-foot coordination is important for soccer and tennis players, while
peripheral vision
is crucial for basketball. Contrast sensitivity
is crucial for skiers, who must see every shadow in the snow before them so they know when to turn.
The tests and therapies that sports vision specialists provide are too many to describe
here, so we've outlined a few, in no particular order:
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Of all sports, basketball may be the most demanding
in terms of visual skills used.
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Focus flexibility is the ability to change focus from a faraway object to a near one, or vice versa.
To test this, your eyecare practitioner
may show you a video or hologram display and have you name or read objects or sentences that suddenly
appear far off and near. One way to speed up your focusing ability is to practice changing focus
between your computer screen and a picture hanging on the wall across the room, or a scene outside
the window.
Peripheral awareness is the ability to perceive what's going on at either side of you without
turning your head. To test your peripheral vision, a specialist may have you view a slide straight
ahead while flashing other images at various angles off to the side. To improve, try looking at a
busy scene with your head turned to one side (perhaps on TV or a computer screen, or on a
sidewalk). Remember to practice from the left and from the right.
Dynamic visual acuity is the ability to see objects clearly when they are moving quickly.
You may have 20/20 acuity when sitting still and reading an eye chart, but when motion is
involved, your acuity could be worse. Sports vision specialists have designed several creative
tests for this, including computer programs that show objects or words moving fast across the
screen, which you must identify before they disappear. For those who might still have old-fashioned record players in the home, the American Optometric Association
recommends a homemade way to improve dynamic visual acuity: cut letters of different sizes
out of a magazine, put them on the turntable, and, at arm's length, identify them as they revolve.
Use different speeds (33, 45, and 78 revolutions per minute, or rpm), and then progress to smaller letters if the test
becomes too easy.
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Both mountain and road cyclists need good contrast sensitivity and
dynamic visual acuity to perceive bumps or objects ahead.
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Depth perception involves making
spatial judgments, including how far away an object or person is from you. One test for this involves identifying
objects or shapes that are in random dot-patterned
backgrounds. Ever try to put the cap on a pen and
miss? Practicing this at arm's length is one way
to improve your depth perception. Another is to
hold a very small pebble or BB at arm's length and drop it into a
drinking straw.
Color vision is important in ball sports
such as football. The most common color deficiency
is the inability to distinguish red from green, and a
reddish-brown football on a green field could
pose a problem. Tests for color deficiency include
cards on which are printed random dot patterns
in a particular color, with an object printed in a
different color. If you can't view the object, you can't
distinguish between the two colors. Your doctor may recommend special glasses or contacts for color blindness. They're
available from a limited number of eye doctors in the United States. These specially tinted lenses enhance differences between certain colors.
[Read more about color deficiency.]
Other tinted lenses enhance particular colors, such as yellow, by filtering other colors. Even if
you're not color deficient, enhancing the color of a ball (such as a yellow tennis ball) could help you see
it better, so you have more time to react to it. [Read more
about performance-enhancing sports eyewear and contact lenses.]
There are many more tests and therapies. So
if you're interested, make an appointment with a
sports vision specialist.
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