Finding a Sports Vision Doctor
The two main organizations that sports vision specialists belong to are the American Optometric Association Sports Vision Section and the International Academy of Sports Vision. Both organizations can give you more information about finding a specialist.
You should also consult your regular eye doctor for referrals to specialists in your area. Be sure to check with your insurance company to determine if you're covered.
Another related organization is The College of Optometrists in Vision Development. The COVD is devoted mainly to the study of vision development in children. Optometrists in this field practice vision therapy, which seeks to correct childhood vision problems. But some of the tests and treatments these practitioners use are also used in sports vision.
What Sports Vision Doctors Can do For You?
Vision and visual skills play a critical role in athletic performance. Just as you train to maximize your aerobic capacity, muscle quickness and muscle strength, your vision skills can be trained to higher levels of performance.
Studies show that the vision skills of high level athletes are generally better than those who do not perform at these levels. Although many athletes can read 20/20 on an eye chart other critical vision skills include:
- Dynamic Visual Acuity- the ability to see objects clearly while in motion.
- Tracking- the ability to "keep your eye on the ball", regardless of how fast it is moving.
- Focusing Flexibility- the ability to quickly shift focus from one distance to another.
- Peripheral Vision- the ability to be aware of what is going on around you while you are concentrating on an object in front of you.
- Visualization- the ability to "picture in your mind" how a properly executed movement will look and feel.
Even if you have an eye exam every one or two years and your eyes are healthy, you can still benefit from seeing an eye care practitioner who specializes in sports vision. A typical eye exam doesn't test every single vision skill; sports vision testing is more extensive. When you visit a sports vision specialist, he or she will probably give you a complete eye exam and will ask you a lot of questions about your activities.
This exam tests every facet of an athlete's visual system. This looks at vision, vision correction, eye muscle alignment and ability, eye teaming, depth perception, visual memory, peripheral vision and ocular health. This produces a visual scorecard of the athlete and a program can be designed to improve any weak area.
You may need only one visit to a specialist to set you on your way to better visual skills. But many specialists have comprehensive training programs that require several visits to complete. These practitioners want to be sure that you devote adequate time and effort to developing your visual skills so they become second-nature.
