CLINICAL

  SPORTS VISION

SET YOUR SIGHTS

...ON SERVING SHOOTING ENTHUSIASTS

DON TEIG, O.D., F.A.A.O.

COMPETITIVE SHOOTERS, whether their passion is trap, skeet, sporting clays, pistols or rifles, are wildly passionate about doing whatever is humanly possible to see a target in fine detail.

Here are ways to help them do so.

EVALUATE PATIENT NEEDS

Ask your patients a series of questions to gauge their activity level and desired outcomes:

• Which shooting sports do you compete in?

• Are you a one-eyed or two-eyed shooter? Please explain.

• Which lens tints (if any) do you use when shooting?

• Do you wear contact lenses while shooting? If so, describe the type of lens.

• What type of shooting glasses do you use?

• Do you ever experience blur when shooting?

• Do you ever see double when shooting?

• Do you ever experience difficulty keeping your eyes on the moving target (if applicable)?

• Do you ever notice variations in your shooting performance?

• Do you have difficulty maintaining your concentration during the event?

A battery of tests can assess shooters’ capabilities.

TEST/FIX VISION

Utilize the following tests to determine the patient’s shooting vision:

• Pelli Robson chart. This determines contrast sensitivity, or whether the patient can appreciate the fine detail of an object, such as a clay pigeon.

• Tachistoscope. This device shows images for a specific amount of time to determine one’s speed of recognition — in this case — target recognition.

• Ishihara color vision test. This employs color plates to determine whether a color vision defect might create challenges in seeing a target.

• Stereopsis device. This is used to assess depth perception.

• Autorefractor/keratometer. This identifies wavefront aberration, which can influence shooting accuracy.

• Dominance assessment. This determines eye/hand/foot dominance. If a shooter is cross or mixed dominant (that is, right handed and left eyed or left handed and right eyed), the general consensus among shooters is to do what works best. Perhaps the most acknowledged approach from shooting experts and sports vision gurus regarding dominance is to learn to shoot with both eyes open.

• A Modified Thorington Card or Brock Posture Board. These determine eye alignment. They should be performed at a distance of 8 feet or beyond to simulate visual infinity.

• Worth 4 Dot Test. This assesses binocularity.

• Stroboscopic glasses. These are used to evaluate a shooter’s level of concentration to extreme levels.

• Eye-hand assessment. This tests eye-hand coordination.

• Eye-tracking assessment. This technology records precisely where an athlete is looking when he or she views a target. Accurate eye tracking is critical in most sports.

• Bassin Anticipation Timer. This measures, in milliseconds, whether a shooter is early or late when zeroing in on the target.

PRESCRIBE FRAMES/TINTS

Once you’ve identified and alleviated vision problems, discuss frame designs and how lens tints can enhance a shooter’s vision.

With regard to frames, shooters should have frames that can fit a large full-view lens; bridge movement to improve the line of gaze as the target leaves the trap box; optical centers positioned in an upward gaze position on the lens and wrap-around frame temples.

The following lens tints are beneficial:

• Vermillion (violet, iridium). This works great for shooters who have average light sensitivity under most bright, sunny conditions.

• Orange, brown or copper. These reduce glare when the target background is a bright blue sky.

• Neutral gray. This decreases glare without distorting colors. (Depending on one’s light sensitivity, the percent of tint can be increased or decreased appropriately.)

• Yellow. This is useful for dim, hazy light conditions (dawn or dusk).

• Clear lenses with AR. This is a must for dark, cloudy, overcast days.

SERVE YOUR PATIENTS

Shooters are dedicated to improving their performance in their sport by improving their eyes. It behooves us as practitioners to set our “sights” on helping these patients. OM

DR. TEIG is founder and director of The A Team - High Performance Vision Associates. He has evaluated and trained athletes from various sports, including five NBA teams, three NHL teams, three NFL teams, pro tennis and golf tours and olympic teams. He is also author of “High Performance Vision.” Email him at doc7ct@gmail.com, or visit tinyurl.com/OMComment to comment on this column.