Category: Sports
Embrace your inner Olympian...
Anything's possible with the help of Park Vision
It has now been just over a week since the opening ceremony of The Paris Olympic Games 2024 and I have watched more television the last week than I probably have the whole of the year so far... the excitement, athleticism, grit and determination of all the competitors... not to mention the years of training and dedication that got them ready for this ultimate sporting event.
I have cheered on the swimming, the equestrian, the triathlon, the rowing, the mountain biking, the tennis, the gymnastics, and learnt a few things about fencing, BMX freestyle and 20km walking, (I am sure that was a rather weird jog but who am I to judge)!
Finally, Summer has arrived int he UK: the sun is shining, the schools are closed, and we have so much inspiration on the television to dust off our bicycles, find that old racket, hit the pool and maybe hang off the climbing frame in the park... jumping on a random horse may need a bit more thought and I would definitely caution a vault (we are not kids anymore)!
What I have been thinking about a lot is one of my Optometry passions... Sports Vision.
There isn't an athlete on that sporting stage that isn't using their vision to get them over the finish line... aiming, eye dominance, depth perception, stereopsis, tracking, peripheral vision all feeding into our brains to tell us where to put hands, when to move, where to steer a boat, direct a horse and when we need to push harder or get out of trouble.
Gold, Silver and Bronze... decided sometimes on hundredths of a second, a photo finish, a penalty point for knocking over a flag.
Did the visual system miss that swimmer coming fast up the outside lane... Could the swimmer have pushed just that bit harder if their peripheral vision had picked it up? Did chalk causing a mucky tear film and dry eye just make the gymnast miss their mark or tired binocular vision miss the catch on the parallel bars? Did glare cause an issue when tracking a fast ball?
I understand that there are so many factors that ultimately come together to produce an Olympian but Sports Vision plays a huge role.
Sport Vision isn’t about reading the letter chart and being told you have 6/6 vision. Sport is one of the biggest and most diverse occupations and differs from most in the level of visual demand, which is often extreme. All sporting decisions are made from visual cues and could mean the difference between; a win or a lose, a precise tackle or a penalty, safety or injury. The Sports Vision Assessment involves a multi-faceted approach of binocular harmony, eye health, physiology, and a great relationship between the Optometrist, Dispensing Optician and athlete.
But as well as athletes at Park Vision I have you all….my patients young and old who, whilst perhaps not training for Olympic glory, are embracing their inner athlete. It is certainly worth thinking about your vision more carefully…
You wouldn’t play golf in work shoes, football in high heels, swim in your tracksuit, run in jeans… so think about your eyewear.
A sports sunglass that fits the face snugly, protects the eyes and enhances peripheral vision. The lens should be to your prescription and again sports specific….those more ..ahem…mature…can have a near add tailored to the distance of the dials/gauges/target and dropped out of the way to improve distance vision and movement. The lens should also reduce glare and enhance contrast, and chosen for varying light levels and sports specific. Are your conditions in dappled light, under flood lights, on the water?
How is your tear film? Are you in contact lenses? Again, are they the best you can have? Do they have a high-water content? As you play, fatigue and sweat your tear film will become affected. The eye starts to dry out which can make contact lens wear uncomfortable and the vision smeary. That final shot, perhaps the deciding play at the end of the game, could be affected by smudgy vision, an unstable contact lens…….addressing dry eye issues and upgrading contact lenses can be a game changer. It certainly meant a Gold Medal in the Commonwealth Games for my star shooter.
For those whose children play in glasses or take their child’s glasses off and push them on to the sporting field… please think about sports glasses or lenses. Daily disposable contact lenses are so safe for children now and in a world of increasing myopia and obesity we want our kids to be outside and active. They might be great at 4, 5, 6 years old but as they get physically fitter and stronger …the ball starts getting harder and faster and their vision will let them down. Maybe not being part of the first team, feeling frustrated that they don’t seem as good as they were, conceding a foul as their tackle was mis-judged, getting injured or missing a catch because their glasses were slipping down their nose or the frame blocked the pass.
And lastly… let’s not forget the macula - the most important part of the retina responsible for central vision, fine detail and colour vision. It is protected by macular pigments which are affected by UV light. Sports Vision glasses are also protecting your eyes from UV damage. Good macular pigments have also been shown to prevent glare, improve photo-stress recovery and enhance visual contrast. A good diet of colourful vegetables and fruit or taking a macular supplement can support this.
So... the swimming is about to start, and I am going back to cheer on the Brits…who are doing rather well. My apple watch is constantly asking me if I’m working out… obviously getting far too excited!
