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Dynamic Visual Acuity

Dynamic visual acuity refers to the athlete’s clarity of vision while the athlete is in movement or while the athlete is tracking a moving object. Visual acuity refers to an athlete’s static clarity of vision. It is the most common measurement of visual function. The term 20/20 vision, for example, refers to visual acuity.

Why is dynamic visual acuity important in athletic performance?

As a skill, dynamic visual acuity allows an athlete to quickly send clear and precise information to the brain.

The more clear and precise the details, the more accurate is the information that is sent to the brain, and the faster the brain is able to process that information and generate the correct physical movement.

Dynamic visual acuity is critical to improving reaction speed, for example, in sports where the athlete must react to visual cues.

What should athletes do to improve their dynamic visual acuity skills?

Eye exercises which require the athlete to maintain visual focus on a target while in movement, and to maintain visual focus on a moving target, will help to train dynamic visual acuity skills.

STEP 1:

1. Side-to-Side Eye Movements: Improve athlete’s ability to maintain focus on targets or visual cues appearing in a horizontal plane from side-to-side
2. Top-to-Bottom Eye Movements: Improve athlete’s ability to maintain focus on targets or visual cues appearing in a vertical plane from top-to-bottom

• Near-to-Far Eye Movements: Improve athlete’s ability to maintain focus on targets or visual cues appearing in a three-dimensional plane from near-to-far

STEP 2:

Loading Visual System:  Improve athlete’s ability to maintain focus on targets or visual cues appearing in all directions while the athlete is in movement.