Specialist Services
Menu:
Visual skills are critical to sports people. Even the slightest advantage can mean the difference between victory and defeat.
Research has shown that superior sportspeople actually perform better in visual skills tests. It has also been shown that by visual training and correction it is possible to improve these skills which can in turn lead to a better sporting performance.
NEW and exclusively to Black & Lizars in Scotland, we have recently acquired the SVT Sports Vision Trainer. This is a state of the art piece of equipment, which allows incredibly accurate measurement of hand-eye coordination and reaction timing. It is also the world leader in vision training for athletes. To see the SVT in action, please view the video clips in the VIDEO section lower down the screen.
Sports Vision can be divided into four main areas:
Visual Assessment - athletes levels of vision are measured and any visual error is corrected using contact lenses or sports specific spectacles.
Eye Protection - sport is the most common cause of severe eye injuries. It is important that athletes are educated in eye protection.
Focusing Ability - assessment of an athlete's ability to focus. THis includes targets over a range of distances and at various points in their visual field. This can be trained with eye exercises.
Visual Skills Enhancement - This involves assessment and enhancement of an athlete's visual performance. It covers assesments of hand and foot - eye coordination and reaction times. Training of these elements can lead to an improvement in sporting performance.
Black & LIzars Sports Vision Clinic
Chief Executive, Peter Ivins originally founded Black & Lizars Sports Vision Clinic in the 1980's. It was, and still is a unique setting for assessment of elite athlete's vision. It is the only dedicated Sports Vision Clinic currently run in Scotland. The clinic was initially based in Glasgow city centre, in our Hope Street branch. It then moved to Pollokshields in early 2008. Qualified Sports Vision Optometrist, Colin Moulson has run the clinic for the last few years.
The clinic is designed to combine the latest in sight testing equipment along with specific equipment for assessing vision in sport, all under one roof. This level of equipment, combined with experience gained over the years of assessing the vision of elite athletes, put Black & Lizars at the forefront of Sports Vision assessment in the UK.
Black & Lizars have previously worked with athletes at all levels over a range of sporting disciplines. This includes work with Olympic athletes both prior to competition and as part of vision screening programmes during the games. We have also been involved with the Commonwealth Games, Scottish Rugby Union, Scottish Institute of Sport, British Boxing and many others.
Vision Assessment
It is impossible for an athlete to work to their full potential if their vision is not clear. An integral part of any Sports Vision Assessment is to measure the athlete's vision and correct any refractive error. This includes correction for myopia (short-sightedness), hypermetropia (long-sightedness) and astigmatism.
When working in a sporting environment, the primary method of correction for refractive error is contact lenses. This allows an athlete to maintain a full field of view, whilst experiencing clear vision.
Modern soft contact lenses are ideal for use in sports. They are comfortable to wear, easy to use and help to maintain optimum eye health. See the section on contact lenses under the eyecare tab for more information.
Black & Lizars Sports Vision Clinic is partnered with Johnson & Johnson, one of the worlds leading contact lens manufacturers, allowing us to supply the leading daily, fortnightly and toric contact lenses. Johnson and Johnson are also world leaders in the world of Sportsvision. See their very informative website at www.acuvue.co.uk/sports/ for more details.
In certain sports, or in cases where contact lenses are not possible, it may be necessary to use sports specific eyewear. This eyewear must be comfortable, lightweight and provide clear vision with maximum available field of view.
Black & Lizars Sports Vision Clinic is partnered with Nike Eyewear (www.nikevision.com) from Marchon. This allows us to supply the highest quality sports eyewear with Nike Max Optics patented lens technology. This gives precise vision straight ahead, to the side and over your shoulder. For more information click on the technology tab on the Nike website.
We also have access to Sports Eyewear from a range of other manufacturers, including Adidas, Oakley and Bolle.
Prescription Eyewear
When an athlete requires prescription correction during sport, there are three widely used techniques.
Contact Lenses
Modern contact lens fitting is dominated by soft contact lenses. These lenses allow maximum comfort and clarity of vision without any concerns regarding adaptability. They are also available in disposable formats, which are ideal for the athlete or part time wearer.
This move to soft contact lenses is ideal for athletes as these lenses are much less likely to dislodge during sport. This means that they can be worn even in contact sports, such as rugby. They are also much less likely to attract grit and dirt under the lens, which can lead to discomfort or blurring of vision.
At the Sports Vision Clinic we offer a full range of contact lens fitting and are often able to offer a free lens trial.
Sports Specific Spectacles
In some sports, spectacles are the method of correction of choice (e.g. shooting, snooker). There are also a small number of people who are unsuitable for contact lenses or may not be keen to wear lenses. For these athletes we supply a full range of Sports Specific Spectacles. This may range from shooting glasses with a specific tint, to prescription swimming goggles, to impact resistant spectacles for cyclists. The choices are almost endless.
- Sports Specific Spectacles can differ from ordinary spectacles in many ways.
The frame and lenses combination should be as close to unbreakable as is possible. This allows the athlete the maximum safety (see later section on eye protection). Lenses are often made from a material called Polycarbonate (which is also used in safety spectacles), which is highly resistant to impact. The frames are often joined without the use of pins or screws, so that in case of impact there are no sharp objects to potentially injure the athlete. - The frame may be designed in a "wraparound" style, so as to achieve as close a fit to the athlete's face as possible. This has the double advantage of preventing foreign bodies from entering the eyes and also cutting out all round glare (when a tint is present).
- The lenses may be interchangeable, so that the athlete can vary the tint (colour) of the lens to suit the environment they are competing in. Alternatively, specially tinted lenses may be used to enhance contrast or adapt to varying levels of light.
- Sports Specific Spectacles can be supplied in both prescription and non-prescription.
Spectacles with Prescription Lens Inserts
Due to the curved or wraparound nature of many sports spectacles, it is sometimes not possible to incorporate a highly powered prescription lens. In cases such as this it is possible to use a prescription lens insert. This involves a pair of spectacles where the main lens provides the wrap-around tinted lens and a second, smaller lens (attached behind the initial lens) provides the prescription correction. When viewed from the front, the insert lens is almost invisible visible.
This system also has the added advantage of letting the athlete use the same spectacles with and without prescription, for example if they are part time contact lens wearers.
Eye Protection
Eye injuries obtained during sport account for 50% of all eye injuries. Sport is the most common cause of eye injury. It is therefore very important to consider eye safety when competing or training.
At Black & Lizars Sports Vision Clinic we can give the best advice on how to protect your eyes during your sporting activities. When fitting contact lenses we will only select lenses that are suitable for use in your sporting environment. We will use the latest soft lens technology to supply lenses that will not easily tear or break during wear. We will also fit lenses that are unlikely to dislodge, even during some contact sports.
When considering spectacles, we will supply frames that are flexible, or will not break into sharp pieces on impact. The spectacle lenses will also be highly impact resistant, to both small and large projectiles. We will use lens materials such as Polycarbonate (which is used in industrial safety spectacles) to achieve this.
For more information on impact resistance in sports spectacles, see the links below:
Nike, including details of the Nike MaxSight lens technology:
http://www.nike.com/nikevision/main.html
?ref=emealanding&sitesrc=emealanding#section=technology
Oakley, including some video footage of impact resistance testing:
http://oakley.com/innovation/optical_superiority/
impact_protection#velocity_impact
Children's Vision
One area of Sports Vision that is often overlooked is that of children's vision. Just like adults, children love to play sport and vision problems should never prevent them from doing this. At Black & Lizars we have the ability to find the right vision correction for your child. Whether this be contact lenses or specially selected sports spectacles, our clinic can help you.
At Black & Lizars we have contact lens wearers as young as five years old. The use of modern lens types, such as daily disposable lenses, takes away the need for a lot of the processes previously associated with contact lens wear. This makes contact lenses a much more attractive option for children. In some cases this ease of use can even lead to lenses being inserted and removed by parents; which takes away completely the worry of children having to handle lenses. As the child becomes more accustomed to the lenses and gains in confidence, they can take more responsibility for themselves.
We also supply a range of children's sport eyewear, which includes sports specific safety frames and impact resistant lenses. With new guidelines advising that 'ordinary' spectacles should not be used during sport, these sports specific spectacles are often the best choice for our budding sports stars of tomorrow.
Vision Training
There are certain aspects of visual function that can be improved by correction. For example, an athlete whose vision is poor for distance viewing (myopia/ short-sightedness) could have their vision corrected using contact lenses or spectacles. This would almost certainly lead to an improvement in sporting performance.
Equally, there are aspects of visual function that can be improved by vision training. In order to understand this concept a little better, it is useful to have a basic knowledge of the various types of eye muscles. There are three main groups of eye muscle actions. These are detailed below:
- Extraocular Muscles – each eye has six extraocular muscles (and one in the eyelid), which allow the eyes to move in different directions (for example to look left and right). These muscles must work in conjunction between the two eyes to maintain a two-eyed or binocular focus.
- Accommodation – this process allows us to focus over a range of distances (for example from far to near). It also allows us to maintain a focus at a certain distance (such as during reading). These muscles work in conjunction with the lens in the eye.
- Convergence/ divergence – this process also allows the eyes to maintain a two-eyed or binocular focus when observing a target. As we look at objects closer to us, it is necessary for the eyes to turn in (converge) in order for the image to remain single. If you have ever watched someone follow a target as it is moved closer to their nose, you will have seen that the eyes move inwards or converge. It is equally important that the eyes can turn outwards or diverge as we return to distance viewing.
All of these three sets of eye muscle actions can be trained with the right exercises. Following initial assessment, we will endeavour to highlight to an athlete if there is a deficit in any of these muscle groups. We can then provide a specific training program for the individual athlete.
During a Sports Vision Assessment we also assess other areas of visual performance that are conducive to training. These include hand/ eye and foot/ eye reaction times. These have both been shown to improve with practice and training. This may allow an athlete to work on specific weaknesses, such as poorer performance with their weaker hand or foot.
During Sports Vision Assessment there is also a large emphasis placed on assessing an athlete's peripheral awareness and coordination. These have been shown to be key elements in sporting performance, particularly in team sports.
We use a machine called the Humphrey Visual Field Analyser to assess athlete's peripheral vision. This machine can be programmed in a variety of ways to assess different areas of vision.
As mentioned above, Black & Lizars have recently invested in the SVT™ Sports Vision Trainer (www.sportsvision@blackandlizars.com). Imported from Australia, this is the latest technology for measuring and training athletes visual performance. It is the only machine of its kind in this country.
The SVT™ is designed to measure an athletes reaction time down to 0.001 of a second. It uses specific training programs to then improve both hand-eye coordination and peripheral awareness. To see the SVT™ in use, please view the video clips below.
Peripheral awareness and coordination are also assessed using the Dynavision 2000 machine (www.dynavision2000.com). Equipment of this kind is only available in a limited number of specialist clinics in the UK.
When an athlete is prescribed a vision training program, they will be given several sessions using the SVT™ or Dynavision 2000. This will ideally lead to improvement in performance over the period of training. Improvements are shown to last for up to 10 weeks post-training.
VIDEO
To see the SVT™ and Dynavision in use, please click on the links below. The videos will be displayed in a separate window, using the YouTube video player.
Scotland Rugby International Graham Morrison using the SVT™ in the Black & Lizars Sports Vision Clinic.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HHbZRs1dNuI
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=4XZVsGN8gws
Great Britain hockey international Graham Dunlop having a peripheral awareness assessment.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=vIBNccAyAIE
Sports Vision Optometrist Colin Moulson assessing hand/ eye coordination using the Dynavision.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=X1O5Zm1d9GY
Contact Details:
Telephone : 0141 423 0206
e-mail : sportsvision@blackandlizars.com
Opening Hours:
| Monday | 9.00am to 5.30pm | ||
| Tuesday | 9.00am to 5.30pm | ||
| Wednesday | 9.30am to 5.30pm | ||
| Thursday | 9.00am to 5.30pm | ||
| Friday | 9.00am to 5.30pm | ||
| Saturday | 9.00am to 5.30pm | ||
| Sunday | Closed |
Cost:
Initial Assessment : £50.00 plus NHS sight test fee
: £90.00 private cost*
Training Program : £200.00 per ten sessions or
£125.00 per five sessions or
£30.00 per individual session
*NB: In Scotland, a free NHS sight test is available for adults every two years. If the athlete has not had an eye test elsewhere within the last two years, they can claim an NHS test as part of their Sports Vision assessment. If they have had an eye test elsewhere, the private fee is applicable.
Location:
BY ROAD:
From the West/ Glasgow Airport: Proceed along the M8 Motorway to junction 21sign posted East Kilbride. Take slip road on left sign posted Kinning Park. Follow the slip road, staying in the left hand lane. Then turn right at the roundabout at the end of the slip road. Take the first exit from the roundabout. Then, from the right hand lane, turn immediately right onto Shields Road. Follow Shields Road to a T-junction. Turn left and follow the road. Pass through the first set of traffic lights, and then turn right at the next set of traffic lights into Albert Drive. We are on the left hand side after approximately 500 metres.
From the East/ Edinburgh: Proceed along the M8 Motorway to junction 22 sign posted M77. Follow the slip road and then take the first turn off signed Pollokshields. At the traffic lights at the end of the slip road turn left along a section of dual carriageway. At the end of the dual carriageway continue straight on through the traffic lights, along Titwood Road. Proceed through two more sets of traffic lights (passing Honda Garage, Morrisons Supermarket and Hutcheson's Grammar School). At the third set of traffic lights turn left into Albert Drive. We are on the left hand side after approximately 500 metres.
From the South/ Ayrshire: Proceed along the M77 Motorway to junction 1 sign posted Clyde Tunnel. At the end of the slip road turn right onto a section of dual carriageway. At the end of the dual carriageway continue straight on through the traffic lights, along Titwood Road. Proceed through two more sets of traffic lights (passing Honda Garage, Morrisons Supermarket and Hutcheson's Grammar School). At the third set of traffic lights turn left into Albert Drive. We are on the left hand side after approximately 500 metres.
BY RAIL:
Black & Lizars Sports Vision Clinic is located a short walk from Pollokshields East train station. This is one stop from Glasgow Central station.
On exiting the station steps, turn left onto Albert Drive. Proceed over the crossroads and we are on the left hand side after approximately 500m.
This walk takes approximately 5 minutes.
We are also within walking distance of Pollokshields West and Crossmyloof train stations.
BY UNDERGROUND:
Black & Lizars Sports Vision Clinic is within walking distance of Shields Road underground station. On exiting the station proceed straight on down Shields Road. Cross over the T-junction and continue to walk up the hill until you come to a church at the corner of Albert Drive and Shields Road. Turn left down Albert Drive and we are on the right hand side after approximately 500m. This walk takes approximately 20 minutes.
MAP:
To see an enlarged map, using Google maps, please use the link below:
Sports Vision Articles
Please find below a list of useful articles on Sports Vision, including articles written and researched by Colin Moulson. There are also articles describing work done at the Black & Lizars Sports Vision Clinic.
A Sports Vision Case Study
- Follow Olympic Skeleton racer Adam Pengilly's visit to the Sports Vision Clinic
http://www.opticianonline.net/assets/getAsset.aspx?ItemsID=3062
Vision for Rugby
- An account of vision assessments carried out on the Scotland Rugby Squad
http://www.opticianonline.net/assets/getAsset.aspx?ItemID=3148
The Beauty of Curling
- A comparative study of visual function and elite sport performance using Team GB Olympic curlers
http://www.opticianonline.net/assets/getAsset.aspx?ItemID=3217
Athlete Testimonials:
Over the years, many athletes have benefited from the services of our Sports Vision Clinic. Here are some comments from some of these athletes:
"Colin and his team were very professional and efficient with their service. The sports vision test was very thorough and with playing a target sport, I was confident that the results and great advice that I received helped me progress further with my sport." Rhona Martin – GB Curling Squad, Olympic Gold Medallist
"The support, service and advice I received from Colin and his team has been a great help, and I am confident they have had a positive impact on my results, which have improved since our interaction." Adam Pengilly – GB Skeleton Bobsleigh
"As an athlete in a team sport, your vision is vital and each athlete should be training their eyesight as much as possible. Colin and his team have an excellent, detailed approach to this concept and will help each athlete achieve further success in their own sport."
"The whole day was great and personally think that each sportsman or woman should be using this as a part of their training, the eye sight is so under trained and is the most important part of sport. I was really impressed with the set up" Graham Dunlop – GB Hockey International
Olympic Games 2004 Athens
Black & Lizars' Sports Vision Clinic is located at 175/7 Albert Drive, Glasgow. Tel: 0141 423 0206.