The Effects of Presbyopia on Performance Vision

Presbyopia has been a condition that eye doctors have largely diagnosed based on age or clinical testing. Although the effects of presbyopia are typically very predictable in a clinical setting; its effects on real-world visual performance are far less predictable and relatively poorly understood. With more and more Baby Boomers and Gen X maintaining an active lifestyle, performance vision becomes a priority. This article aims to explore what is known about how visual performance can be maximized despite the progressionof presbyopia and identifies areas where research is needed.

Analysis of Color-Specific Visual Processing Speed Differences in Division 1 College Football Players

IntroductionThe University of Cincinnati has been doing NeuroVisual Training (NVT) as part of an injury prevention and performance enhancement program since 2010. We recently noticed that some athletes have substantial differences in visual reaction time based on color, specifically red versus green. We set out to assess if they may have had any color processing deficiencies.MethodsWe identified 4 out of 107 screened athletes with deficiencies in their ability to react to green compared to red. After identifying these color deficiencies, we developed a protocol to assess and manage the said deficiencies. The protocol included assessing for color blindness with the Ishihara plates, color Visual Evoked Potentials (cVEP), and color-based visual reaction times.ResultsNone of the individuals had color blindness based on the Ishihara plates. There were significant differences in visual reaction times for red and green with red being significantly slower. cVEP mean red P100 latency was 115.5 ± 3.2 ms versus 104.4 ± 1.3 ms for green, and mean voltage was 7.30 ± 1.4 µV versus 9.20 ± 1.4 µV for green. DiscussionNVT is becoming a mainstream means to improve performance and safety for athletes in competitive sports. It was interesting to note that high caliber athletes in a division 1 college football program were showing relatively slow visual reaction times. We were able to train them to a higher level of NVT proficiency once we included color-based tasks that best suited their ability to see and process quickly. People performing NVT on athletes may wish to be aware of and consider checking for color processing deficiencies such that one can train the athletes to the highest level possible.

Gaze Behavior of Attacking Karate Athletes In-situ

Previous studies have analyzed the gaze behavior of defending karate athletes using video-based attacks. The results show that karate athletes use a gaze anchor around the opponent’s head and chest. An analysis of gaze behavior of a karate athlete performing an attack in-situ has not been realized, yet. The aim of this study is, therefore, to analyze the gaze behavior of 11 karate athletes immediately before they perform an attack in-situ. The number of fixations, fixation duration, and fixation location were analyzed over the last 2000 ms before the athletes executed one of four instructed attacks. The results show no significant differ-ences in gaze parameters with respect to the type of attack. The main finding revealed a gaze anchor around the opponent’s head, chest, and leading arm, confirming previous studies of defending karate athletes whileviewing video-based attacks.

A Test Panel to Assess and Document an Absence of Concussive Signs for Sports Related Concussion

As sports-related concussions gain notoriety, legislation has also increased, placing greater liability on athletic trainers, who are typically the first to assess mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). This has led to an increase in assessments for documenting an absence of or evidence of an mTBI. Although, their validationand standardization have been called into scrutiny. The purpose of this report is to develop and validate a neurologic test that provides objective evidence useful for documenting an absence of suspicious injury. In this retrospective cohort study, 26 athletes from the University of Cincinnati who incurred a suspicious concussive impact were evaluated using this assessment battery. Of the 26 athletes, 7 were found to have a suspicious injury and referred to a specialist for further work-up. All 7 were eventually diagnosed with a concussion. Nineteen were found to have an absence of suspicious injury, none of which developed delayed concussive symptoms.

A Comparison of Cardinal Gaze Speed between Major League Baseball Players, Amateur Prospects, and Non-athletes

PurposeSensorimotor variables have been shown to predict performance in professional baseball players. However, cardinal gaze speed in baseball players has received only limited attention. This study tested the hypothesis that the cardinal gaze speed in Major League Baseball (MLB) players would be faster than in amateur prospects and non-athletes. MethodSeventeen MLB athletes, 160 amateur prospects, and 128 non-athletes were tested using an eye-tracking test (i.e., the RightEye CGP test) designed to measure cardinal gaze speed. ResultsMLB players had significantly faster cardinal gaze speed than either amateur prospects or non-athletes. Moreover, there were significant differences in cardinal gaze speed across different directions. ConclusionsThis was the first study to examine the speed of gaze in the cardinal positions in an athletic context. The results highlight the significant difference in cardinal gaze speed between MLB players, amateur prospects, and non-athletes.

Vision Training and Reaction Training for Improving Performance and Reducing Injury Risk in Athletes

Visual processing, visual fields, and visual reaction times are essential to the performance of numerous sports and play a role in athletic injuries. Vision training, a process using visual exercises as part of a structured sports conditioning program, can be used to both enhance sports performance and prevent injury by improving neurovisual processing. In this review, evidence and methods concerning vision training programs are presented with the results suggesting performance enhancement and/or injury prevention, primarily concussion. Multiple studies are reviewed and utilized as examples that vision training programs designed to improve athletic performance or prevent injury are effective. We conclude from the collected evidence and theoretical considerations that vision training for numerous sports can be implemented with goals to improve performance and/or decrease injuries, specifically concussion. Key Points: 1) In this opinion paper we believe that vision training improves neurovisual processing. The vision training improves certain brain functions. 2) That vision training programs as part of athlete conditioning can improve athletic performance. Eye hand coordination, reaction times and peripheral awareness improve on the field of play. Obviously this benefit can be sport specific with some sports benefiting more than others. 3) There is emerging evidence that concussion rates can be decreased following pre-season vision training programs. The cause and effect needs to be better established and future research should address this opinion.

Visual Fixation in NBA Free-Throws and the Relationship to On-Court Performance

Purpose Although hitting a baseball is often described as the most difficult task in all of sports, shooting baskets during a game likely ranks a close second. Previous studies have described the role of vision in basketball and more specifically a concept termed the “quiet eye” has been shown to be related to basketball performance. How a shooter visualizes the target, how consistent their visual fixation is, and how long they maintain that fixation has been correlated to shooting success. Although the majority of previous reports have included non-professional basketball shooters, we evaluated NBA (National Basketball Association) players to determine if this skill was significant at the professional level. Materials and Methods We evaluated 16 professional NBA players prior to the 2018-2019 NBA season. All players shot 30 consecutive free-throws while wearing Tobii Pro eye-tracking glasses. Following the completion of the task, several metrics were calculated including shooting success rate, as well as four measures of the position and duration of ocular fixation just prior to, during, and immediately after ball release for each shot of each player. Additionally, player performance statistics from the 2018-2019 season were recorded and compared to the visual fixation data. Descriptive statistics as well as correlations between the visual fixation metrics and on-court performance metrics were calculated. Results NBA shooters averaged a 79% success rate in free throw shooting (SD = 14%, min = 56%, max=100%) during the study. Moderate statistically significant correlations were found between the percentage of successful free throws and the four measures of visual fixation (r=0.539 to 0.687). In addition, visual fixation measures were found to be corelated with on-court metrics suggesting that shooters who had more frequent, as well as longer, fixations on the rim where more likely to have lower USG%, and ORB% as well as higher FG3%. The percentage of successful shots in the study was compared to the on-court FT% and found to be moderately correlated (r=0.536). Conclusions The need to maintain ocular fixation on the rim as one shoots seems elementary, but in fact varies greatly among NBA players, as noted in these results. Our data suggests that players who visually fixate longer and more frequently on the rim are more likely to be successful in free throws, as well as more successful in 3-point goals. Likely due to their likely distance from the basket, they do not make as many offensive rebounds. This data set appears to describe basketball guards in contrast to forwards/centers and supports previous research on non-professional basketball players.

The Ocular Pathological Findings in Professional Baseball Players

This article highlights the eye findings uncovered among 800 professionals, with no visual complaints. Methods: During their yearly sports vision screenings between 2004 and 2011 these retinal and anterior segment pathologies were detected and documented using a Kowa-Optimed (Hawthorne, CA) non-mydriatic fundus camera. Results: Twelve athletes (1.5%) were found to have ocular pathology in the posterior pole or anterior portion of the eye. The findings were categorized into five groups, nevi, hemorrhages, retinal scars and abnormalities, optic nerve changes, and vascular changes. Conclusion: This work illustrates the importance of eye health screenings as an integral part of a comprehensive sports vision evaluation.

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