Vision Therapy in Sports.
“Kids that go through vision therapy because of its effects on reading and learning, often report sports improvement as well,” Dr. Michael Gallaway said about the importance of vision therapy in sports. A specialist in this field for the past 29 years, Dr. Gallaway has experienced many cases like the one described above. Children who have a hard time keeping track of their place when reading - one of the most common complaints among parents whose children are suffering from a visual problem - may also have difficulties playing small ball sports such as baseball or racquetball. Perfecting sports’ skills such as depth perception, judging speed and hand-eye coordination are extremely valuable. “Vision therapy includes eye exercises that are used to enhance visual skills and sports performance,” Dr. Gallaway said.
Vision therapy exercises and training the visual system can be extremely effective in improving performance in sports requiring keen visual skills such as baseball. “Better athletes have better visual skills,” he said. “Visual skills can be enhanced through vision therapy, which allows athletes to perform better on the field.” Individuals and children participating in sports can also experience eye injuries. But, these injuries are preventable with the appropriate eyewear. “Hinge less, one-piece frames and polycarbonate lenses are my suggestion,” Dr. Gallaway said about what eyewear he thinks is suitable to avoid sports related eye injuries.