Soccer, hockey, volleyball, baseball, and basketball – these are just a few of the organized sports that have high rates of participation among children and adults alike. Many have been enjoying outdoor team sports all summer long. The arrival of the school season usually means a change in activity and signing up for fall and winter team sports for many.

Vision demands of players involved in team sports is very complex and involved. Many systems are being tested at the same time.  A player’s performance in sports is definitely affected by the following:

• Visual memory – ability to process fast-moving objects into a mental image and retrieve later (Here is an online game to test your visual memory) )
• Depth perception – ability to process information pertaining to distances between objects and between the player and other objects
• Peripheral vision – vision out to the sides
• Dynamic visual acuity – ability to lock on and track a fast-moving object in order to process its relative location
• Visual reaction time – speed at which the visual message is processed by the brain and a corresponding action initiated
• Focusing speed and efficiency – ability to switch from near to far objects quickly and easily

An athlete may have problems in some or all of these areas and still be able to see the smallest letters on the eye chart!

Fortunately, problems in these areas can be identified and trained by a vision therapist who specializes in sports vision.  Vision therapy can help a batter improve her average, a goalie improve his stats or a forward score more goals.

Consider the safety aspects of team sports.  Eye injuries are the leading cause of blindness in children, and most injuries among kids age 11-14 occur while playing sports.  Baseball is the leading cause of eye injuries among kids under 14 years of age, and basketball is the sport causing most injuries between 15 and 24 years of age.  Safety eye wear is the most effective way of preventing eye injuries while playing sports.

–          Dr. Wilk