Why 20/20 is Not Enough
In sports, everything is in motion. A standard school vision screening only tests a child's ability to see a stationary black letter on a white wall. But a baseball doesn't sit still, and a soccer field isn't black and white.
If your child is highly athletic but seems to be struggling with coordination, reacting too slowly, or constantly missing passes, the problem might not be their physical agility—it might be their visual processing.
The Competitive Edge
Essential Visual Skills for Athletes
Athletic success relies heavily on these three purely visual skills. If any one of them is deficient, performance will suffer.
Depth Perception
The ability to accurately judge the distance between yourself and an object, and to calculate how fast that object is moving toward or away from you.
Why it matters: Catching a pop-fly in baseball, judging a gap between defenders in soccer, or shooting a basketball. If a child's eyes do not work together perfectly as a team, depth perception is instantly compromised.
Hand-Eye Coordination
The neurological connection between the visual input processed by the brain and the physical motor response executed by the body.
Why it matters: Hitting a pitch, returning a tennis serve, or blocking a goal. If a child's vision is even slightly blurred or their tracking is slow, the brain receives delayed information, resulting in a delayed physical reaction.
Peripheral Awareness
The ability to see and process action happening out of the corner of the eye, without having to physically turn the head to look.
Why it matters: Seeing a teammate open for a pass, avoiding an approaching tackle in football, or tracking other runners on a track. Thick, bulky eyeglasses often physically block a child's peripheral vision, putting them at a severe disadvantage.
The Competitive Edge
Safe Optical Solutions for Athletes
Standard glasses slide down a sweaty nose, fog up in the cold, and limit peripheral vision. For active children and teens, Dr. Fouladian recommends specialized visual solutions that enhance performance without getting in the way.
Ortho-K (Night Lenses)
The ultimate sports solution. The child wears custom molds while sleeping and wakes up with perfect 20/20 vision. They play all day with nothing in or on their eyes. Essential for swimmers and water polo players where contacts are dangerous.
Learn about Ortho-KDaily Disposable Contacts
A fresh, sterile lens every day. Provides a full, unobstructed field of peripheral vision. If sweat or dirt gets in the eye, the child simply throws the lens away after the game.
Prescription Sports Goggles
For kids not yet ready for contacts, we offer impact-resistant, wrap-around polycarbonate sports goggles to protect their eyes from high-speed balls and stray elbows while providing clear vision.
Ensure They Are Game-Ready
Give your young athlete the visual tools they need to succeed on the field. Schedule a comprehensive sports vision evaluation today.
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