The role of vision in sports performance is a topic that has always attracted considerable attention and has been studied quite extensively over the years. Quite recently statements and announcements made by a number of high profile professional sporting organizations and individuals on the contribution of sports vision to their success resulted in a global increased public awareness. Most studies on sports vision still originates in the disciplines of sport science and sport psychology. In optometry it seems that behavioural optometry has claimed it as part of their domain and that is certainly scaring away the more traditional optometrist. The reality is that Optometry is the only professional that can provide the whole range of sports vision services. According to Reichow and Stern, sports vision encompasses performance orientated comprehensive vision care programmes involving the education, evaluation, correction, protection and enhancement of the athlete. Furthermore, the notion that sports vision is only for the elite athlete is definitely not true. The biggest market is in children and the casual athlete.
At the University of Johannesburg we have created an Academy of Sports Vision and our whole philosophy is based on what we call the four cornerstones of sports vision being:
Provision of Corrective Eyeware
Visual skills testing
Performance Enhancement
As there a place for sports vision in private practice. Download and view here: Is there a place for sports vision in private practice