Think of your favorite sport; chances are your vision plays an important part in that activity. Coordination, concentration, balance and accuracy are just a few of the visual–related abilities you use during a sports event. Vision affects your batting average, racquetball score, pass completion and free throw percentages. The term “vision” and the growing field of “sports vision” apply to more than 20/20 eyesight, glasses or contact lenses. Vision involves many subtle and sophisticated links between your brain, muscles and eyes.

When you train for your sports activities, you probably work on your aerobic capacity, endurance, strength, muscle tone and/or flexibility. Optometrists, coaches and trainers now say you should train your vision as well. The stamina, flexibility and fine-tuning of your visual system can sometimes provide you with the split-second timing you need to truly excel at your chosen sport.

If certain skills are not up to par, you may unconsciously compensate and weak spots might develop in your game. These weak spots become obvious to your opponent who, depending on the level of competition, may play on them. Compensating behavior can include slowness or inconsistencies in one or more areas of performance. Even if you already wear prescription lenses or contact lenses, the visual skills you need for optimum sports performance probably need improvement.

If you do not require a visual prescription, your visual skills may still be enhanced. These skills are developed from birth and learned as you grow: they can also be taught, enhanced and improved at almost any time during your life under the direction of a behavioral optometrist who understands how your visual system works.