Baseball is a visually demanding sport, regardless of your position, that requires you to have sharpness of vision when stepping out onto the diamond. In fact, the average MBL player has 20/20 vision and will continue to go through extensive visual training or correction care to continue improving their eyesight.
But, why does this sport require such super-sight? You need to be able to have exceptional vision to ensure solid contact at the plate, accurately identify the speed and even pick up on ball rotation.
You want to ensure you are seeing correctly in order to make the solid connection with the ball. Stress on the eyes and trouble focusing can affect how well the eye is able to send important signals to the brain to determine hand movement making it a challenge to hit that home run.
So, whether you’re pitching, batting or in the outfield, here are a few things to think about when it comes to your eyesight while playing baseball.
Depth Perception
Baseball players need to make split-second decisions when it comes to hitting the ball. Depth perception requires both eyes to work simultaneously and quickly focus on the target. When a ball is coming towards you at 40-90 mph, depending on the level, it can be easy to miscalculate the ball’s distance and size. With good depth perception hitting the ball is easier because the ball may appear much bigger.
Amblyopia, also referred to as the “lazy eye,” can reduce near or far-sightedness which in return can affect depth perception.
Peripheral Awareness
It can be easy to have a ball fly by you without even spotting it. That’s why being aware of your surroundings is important to improve the chance of catching that hard infield hit. Good peripheral vision indicates that you have normal, wide-angle field vision and will have a better chance at catching whatever speed or position the ball is heading. Prescription glasses can hinder peripheral vision due to edge lens distortion and frame interference.
Precision and Accuracy
Whether throwing or batting, it’s always the players intention to do so with great precision and accuracy. If you are near- or far-sighted, you are going to be faced with some issues as it will affect you performance. Laser eye correction gives you the ability to regain exceptional eye care and allow you to throw away your glasses and play the game with precision!
Specialized Glasses
It can be difficult to find comfortable glasses that stay put during sports activities. That’s why there are sport-specific lenses for baseball that will also increase the protection compared to your everyday glasses because they are designed for impact. There are also specifically designed sunglasses and lens tints that help judge distance depending on the weather.
Step up to the plate and increase your confidence so you can start focusing on your game instead of straining your eyes determining the depth of the baseball. All our treatments, like iLASIK and PRK with iDesign WaveFront, are a great option for those who are active and are performed with leading technology to provide precise vision care.
Book a complimentary assessment with a specialist from our vision care team today. It’s time to think about other options than just glasses or contact lenses– go frameless with laser eye and start playing the game you want.