The day-to-day roles and responsibilities of a Certified Athletic Therapist are constantly adapting. The nature of the job demands quick thinking and attention to detail when providing care. When considering a sports related injury, often you think about strains, sprains, tears and breaks, but when was the last time you thought about vision?
According to optometrist Dr. Kristine Dalton, associate professor at the University of Waterloo in the School of Optometry and Vision Scientists, an athlete’s visual health is pivotal to overall performance. In a recent installment of CATA’s webinar series, Dr. Dalton unpacked what vision assessment and treatment means for athletic therapy, and encouraged Certified ATs to consider vision and eye health as part of patient assessment.
The visual system is an extraordinary process of human anatomy. Collecting and interpreting visual information, this system builds a mental picture of one’s surroundings. In everyday activities for many Canadians, vision contributes to the ease and successful completion of daily life. For sighted athletes, it is a pillar of their performance.
From golf to hockey, the visual needs of athletes are “wide and varied,” Dr. Dalton explains. Some sports are static, others are dynamic in terms of being visually demanding. While a weightlifter benefits from sight to maintain balance, a snowboarder relies on central and peripheral vision and visual motor coordination, all performed at great speeds.
When vision is working at its greatest potential, athletes can swing, dive, jump, run or skate with an impressive amount of precision and expertise. But when things go wrong with vision, athletic capabilities become unreliable. Dr. Dalton emphasizes the importance of treating and managing both “acute, traumatic ocular health issues and also chronic health issues, for some of our athletes who navigate with ocular issues throughout their lifetime.”
While many consider acute ocular injuries to be trauma to the eye itself, Dr. Dalton recognizes that “pretty much every structure from the eyelids right to the back of the nerve and orbital bones can be damaged in sports related injuries.” In fact, as an optometrist, she explains that 98% of her clinical cases are concussion related injuries. Addressing that the vast number of patients who have experienced a concussion, “will experience some sort of vision symptoms.”
Certified ATs treat many sudden-onset acute injuries in athletes, concussions being one of the most significant. As the first point of contact after a concussion or other vision-harming injury, Certified ATs are a crucial source of vision treatment, management and assessment. Understanding the visual implications of injuries like concussions gives you the knowledge and capacity to refer athletes for additional care at an optical specialist.
Acute visual injuries aren’t the only issues that can benefit from an improved understanding of vision care: chronic vision issues do as well. Studies show that 30% of athletes need to get their vision corrected, but Dr. Dalton recognizes that vision “is not something athletes naturally think about getting checked or inherently get checked.”
Certified ATs can have a positive impact on this statistic by asking athletes and patients important questions about their visual health. Normalizing questions such as “when was the last time you saw an optometrist?” or “have you ever had an eye exam?” can encourage everyone to include vision care as part of their full healthcare routine. With a holistic approach to treatment, Certified ATs can provide comprehensive care to athletes, and contribute to the shared goal of helping patients return to their usual activities.
By addressing vision and providing assessment, treatment and referral, Certified ATs optimize athletic performance while preventing injury. With the help of optometrists and other vision specialists, and the testing and treatment they provide, athletes can not only improve their performance but give their career longevity.
After all, Dr. Dalton emphasizes “we only have one set of eyes,” and it is vital that “we address vision.”
Interested in learning how a Certified AT can help you as part of whole-body care, prevention or recovery? Find one in your neighbourhood on our website, and make sure to stay up to date with CATA by following us on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn!
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