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Wednesday, October 1, 2008
In the line of sight
Central Oklahoma, OK
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Photo(s) By: Kyle Danztler/MyActionPortraits.com
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Are you comfortable with what’s coming at you on the field, court or diamond?
Pick any sport and there’s a different reason for how crucial it is to have perfect visual skills. Dr. Michael Bennett and Dr. Brian Padgham at the Guthrie Vision Source recommend annual vision exams for the athlete so they can keep at the “top of their game”, when it comes to their eyes and how they relate to the rest of the body and to the sport.
FOOTBALL
Quarterbacks need enhanced peripheral vision skills to see defensive linemen coming at them “out of the corner” of their eyes and find an open receiver. Wide Receivers, Tight Ends, Corner backs and Safeties require a high level of depth perception and eye focusing to accurately judge the speed and distance of a football coming at them in a coverage situation.
BASEBALL
When standing at the plate, baseball players need the kind of eye tracking that enables them to keep their eye on the ball. Catchers need a laser-sharp focus as they’re delivered a variety of pitches. Infielders need the same focus to field grounders. Outfielders require excellent depth perception to judge a pop fly.
BASKETBALL
Basketball players need the visualization skills to picture making a free throw. In a fast-break situation, players racing up the court (and players on defense) need fusion flexibility and stamina in their eyesight, so they can keep both eyes working together at high speed.
TENNIS and RACQUETBALL
Tennis and racquetball players need the dynamic visual acuity to see the ball clearly, which helps improve reaction time and results in more solid hits.
GOLF
Golfers need superb depth perception to accurately judge the distance to the hole, which can have a profound impact on selecting the proper club. This can affect every facet of a golfer’s game, including drives, second shots and chipping. Additionally, superb eye tracking is a must in order to appropriately read the greens for a fundamentally sound putting game.
SOCCER and HOCKEY
A goalie in soccer can’t afford to have poor eye tracking when it comes to receiving a penalty kick. Focus is a must. The same principle holds true for goalies in hockey, who have to zero in lightning-quick on a puck.
VOLLEYBALL
Whether it’s an opposing player’s serve, spike or volley near the net, a volleyball player has plenty of different shots of varying degrees and distances to think about. And every one of them requires nothing less than the best depth perception in their vision.
No matter what the sport, the eyes play an important role in how well an athlete performs in their chosen sport. Over the next several months, Dr. Michael Bennett and Dr. Brian Padgham of Guthrie Vision Source, www.visionsource-guthrie.com, will cover several topics about the eyes and how they relate to athletes, such as the different ways to correct your eyesight problems, LASIK, the latest developments in contact lenses, how to protect your eyes, and how to improve your visual performance during sports.
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