Vision is crucial for all aspects of a Paducah, KY athlete’s perception and sports ability. If you do not have good vision, it will be more difficult to score a goal, hit a ball, or even make a basket.
Why Good Vision Is Important for Athletes
It is difficult to really determine who has the ball or how far away the golf hole is if your vision is blurry. Although some athletes can be born with perfect 20/20 vision, many find it difficult to see due to minor refractive errors such as myopia (nearsightedness) or hyperopia (farsightedness).
Besides having good visual acuity, athletes rely on depth perception to help with different aspects of sports. This includes lining up the shot properly, or even using your peripheral vision to spot a member of the other team who may be trying to steal the puck or ball away from you.
Tips on Caring for Your Vision as an Athlete
Ensuring the safety of your vision is crucial as an athlete. These tips will help you not only protect but also enhance your vision.
- Wear Eye Protection: Injuries to your eyes can cause temporary and permanent vision loss. Eye injuries are common in sports such as baseball, basketball, water sports, and even in some racquet sports like tennis. To protect your eyes try wearing shatterproof, polycarbonate goggles that can completely cover your eyes.
- Reduce Glare: Glare from the sun or bright lights can be a common vision issue that athletes experience. When you visit your optometrist, they can recommend sunglasses or tinted glasses that can help reduce this glare.
- Contact Lenses: Contact lenses do not slip and fall or fog up as glasses do. This would be efficient for some athletes. They also can allow you to have a clearer vision than when you wear eyeglasses.
- Eye Exercises: If you want to improve your eye teaming, focusing, and tracking abilities, your local optometrist can recommend some activities that can help you tune your visual skills.
- Schedule Yearly Checkups: Minor eye changes can affect any aspect of your sports performance. This is why it is important that you make sure your prescription is the right fit for your eyes. Also, you get a yearly exam to ensure that your vision is on track.
- Keep Your Eyes Moist: Make sure to use eye drops and artificial tears. They will help keep your eyes moist during practices and games. If you find the over-the-counter eye drops aren’t helping, contact your optometrist. They may be able to offer you prescription eye drops or recommend adding plugs into the drainage channels of your eyes. Another tip wearing wraparound sunglasses or goggles may help prevent your eyes from drying out due to the sun or wind.
No matter what sport you play, all athletes need to maintain their vision. If you are in need of an eye exam or have any questions give our team at Brush Optical a call today!
