When it comes to sports, we all know that the more you practice, the better your game will get. However, there are times when athletes still struggle with their performance, even after putting in long hours of practice.

Vision therapy addresses the underlying issues that limit an athlete’s ability to perform on the field (or court), which makes it a highly effective sports training tool.

Read on as a vision therapy optometrist Annapolis, MD talks about sports vision therapy, what it involves, and how it can help improve your athletic abilities.

What Is Sports Vision Therapy & How Can It Help?

Sports vision therapy (also known as sports vision training) is based on the idea that the eyes, brain, and body all work together to create a visual system. The brain receives information from the eyes, which it processes and sends back to the muscles in order to move your body.

If you have poor vision skills, this can affect how well your body responds to visual information during sports activities. For example:

If you have trouble seeing objects in motion (like a ball thrown at you), reacting quickly could be difficult.
If you have trouble perceiving depth (like whether there’s enough room between two people), making quick decisions might be hard due to poor judgment about other players’ positions on the field.
If you have trouble focusing on the ball or field, it might be hard to keep your eyes on what’s important.
If you have trouble processing multiple visual stimuli, this could affect how well you respond to other players on the field.

Sports vision therapy can help improve an athlete’s ability to perceive depth and distance as well as reaction time, which is essential for ball-handling skills.

What’s Involved With Sports Vision Therapy?

Sports vision therapy uses lenses and other tools to improve your eyesight. Examples of lenses and tools include:

Eye shades that block out light, allowing you to focus on a specific object or point in space
A headband with lights attached to help you track objects as they move across your field of vision
Flexible prisms that insert into glasses, which helps improve straight-ahead vision or correct double vision
Video games designed to train your brain’s ability to process visual information

Sports vision therapy can be a helpful tool for athletes of all ages and abilities. If you are experiencing any visual problems that affect your performance, it’s worth checking out this treatment option.

And if you have more questions or wish to schedule a consultation, please don’t hesitate to call us, your local vision therapy optometrist Annapolis, MD, anytime!