The School of Optometry & Vision Science now has a clinic to promote sports vision research.
Directed by Professor Kristine Dalton, the Sports Vision Clinic is one of the first in Canada to focus on this subject. The fact that the clinic is in a university setting will greatly facilitate the synergy between research and clinical practice.
At the heart of the research is the role vision plays in the performance of athletes at all levels of competition. Vision provides athletes with most of the information needed to play sports so it's surprising that many neglect training and caring for their eyes, said Professor Dalton. She added that studies suggest that 25% of athletes have never had an eye exam.
The clinic will develop standardized tests to measure sport-specific vision function and visual-motor coordination. It will conduct customized, sport-specific assessment and training of athletes' vision. For example, athletes may be prescribed glasses or contact lenses exclusively for use while playing their sports or training hand-eye coordination, reaction times and eye movement control.
