It’s no surprise that athletes are more likely to sustain concussions. It may be a surprise to know that after a concussion, a high percentage of people will suffer from some form of visual dysfunction.

Concussion, Dr.Amanda NanasySports Vision Pros, LLCFebruary 6, 2023Dr.Amanda Nanasy, Concussion

Visual Skills

In order to know how to visually assess or train, we must have a basic understanding of the visual skills relative to sports and performance. This data is key to provide feedback and help the athlete continue to improve.

Visual Skills - Basic Training

Incorporating visual performance drills into your overall training routine can drastically improve performance.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 28, 2022Basic Training, Ball Catch

Visual Skills - Ball Pass

This is a basic passing drill where you can add difficulty and dynamic movement easily.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 28, 2022Ball Catch, Eric Pitkanen

Visual Skills - Two Person Toss

This two-person toss version includes a side shuffle and that ramps up the difficulty.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 28, 2022Ball Catch

Visual Skills - Turn & Catch

Gavin alternates between turning to his right and left as quickly as possible and catching the ball.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 28, 2022Ball Catch, Eric Pitkanen

Visual Skills - Fast Ball

This is an advanced type of catching due to the speed of the throw, the cognition of determining the hand, and the reaction time to catch.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 28, 2022Ball Catch, Eric Pitkanen

Visual Skills - 2 Ball Catch

Athletic Trainer, Eric Pitkanen, tosses two balls that Gavin has to catch.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 28, 2022Ball Catch

Visual Skills - Hand Switch

A difficulty training tool to hold two tennis balls and then switch hands quickly. This is a big challenge and Gavin gets on a roll.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 28, 2022Ball Catch, Eric Pitkanen

Visual Skills - Bear Droppings

This is a nice warm-up tool where an individual has to use their peripheral awareness and eye-hand reaction time to make a catch.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 28, 2022Ball, Ball Catch, Eric Pitkanen

Visual Skills - Ladder Drill with Ball Toss

In this training exercise, the guys do two different types of ladder drills. While moving they call out the number of fingers held out by the athletic trainer, Eric Pitkanen.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 27, 2022Ball, Ball Catch, Eric Pitkanen

Visual Skills - Wall Ball Catch

This is a great reaction time drill. You can also increase the difficulty by adding strobe glasses, calling out numbers on the tennis balls, and many other ways.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 27, 2022Ball Catch, Ball

Visual Skills - Visual Assessment

Before you can improve visual performance, you have to assess visual abilities. This is more than your basic eye exam - this is the start to better visual performance.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 27, 2022Visual Assessment, Dr.Keith Smithson

Visual Skills - Basic Training

Vision Training can serve multiple purposes - we can work on improving visual/motor/neurological skills to bring athletes up to expected levels.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 27, 2022Basic Training, Dr.Keith Smithson

Visual Skills - Eye Protection

Eye protection is not your basic glasses, these are glasses/goggles that meet ASTM standards for that sport/activity.

Visual SkillsSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 27, 2022Eye Protection

Athletes - Vision Health

Unfortunately, many athletes don't realize they suffer from undiagnosed vision impairments and spend significant time and resources compensating for poor vision or slower recognition without ever addressing their unknown vision impairments.

AthletesSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 26, 2022Vision Health

Athletes - Basic Training

It's usually best to incorporate aspects of visual performance into drills that are already being performed. Adding visual skills enhancement concepts into established training routines that you're comfortable with can substantially improve performance without adding additional time to the overall training session.

AthletesSports Vision Pros, LLCDecember 26, 2022Basic Training