August 13, 2024

Sports Vision Training Can Help Prevent Scooter Accidents

When riding an electric scooter, you need to be able to focus on the road, while avoiding cars, pedestrians, and other potential obstacles. It may sound simple, but not everyone has the visual skills needed…
Posted by
Opto-Mization Optometry & Vision Therapy

E Scooter Riders 640When riding an electric scooter, you need to be able to focus on the road, while avoiding cars, pedestrians, and other potential obstacles. It may sound simple, but not everyone has the visual skills needed to focus, scan the surroundings and react in a split-second to an oncoming car or a child who?s run into the street.

At Opto-mization NeuroVisual Performance, we offer sports vision training, which helps improve visual skills by training the brain to process and respond quickly and efficiently to visual input. This can, in turn, prevent you from getting into an accident.

E-Scooter Riders Need Top-Notch Visual Skills

To stay safe on the road, drivers, motorcyclists, and e-scooter drivers need to have remarkable visual skills, where the ability to focus, track fast-moving objects and react quickly can mean the difference between staying safe and incurring an injury.

Even the smallest increase in processing ability, reaction time and resilience can help prevent injury to yourself and others.

The Visual Skills Needed to Safely Ride an E-Scooter

Improve critical vision skills, such as peripheral awareness, depth perception and eye focusing, with sports vision training, a customized program that improves the communication between your eyes, brain, and body.

1. Peripheral Awareness 

Peripheral vision, also known as peripheral awareness, enables us to detect and see things that aren?t right in front of us when looking straight ahead. A well-developed peripheral field helps riders spot people and objects and sense the flow of the road as it changes.

2. Depth Perception

Depth perception is the ability to see in three dimensions and judge the distance between objects or people and yourself.

Those with good depth perception have an easier time accurately tracking any object as it approaches because they can perfectly see where it is in space. This enables one to make split-second decisions about when to swerve or stop to avoid coming in contact with everything from a car to a trash can.

3. Accommodation and Convergence

Accommodation, also known as focus flexibility, is the eyes? ability to change focus immediately. Convergence is the ability to keep both eyes working in unison as they track people or objects,  such as a bus on the road.

Enhancing these eye-focusing skills can boost your ability to concentrate and refocus your vision quickly and more accurately so that you process moving objects quickly.

Want to strengthen your visual skills? Contact Dr. Cameron McCrodan or Dr. Scott Irvine today!

Opto-mization NeuroVisual Performance serves patients from Victoria, Nanaimo, Duncan, and Vancouver Island, all throughout British Columbia.

Frequently Asked Questions with Scott Irvine, O.D.

Q: What is sports vision training?

  • A: Sports vision training is made of individually prescribed and monitored exercises aimed at developing specific visual skills and processing. These various customized activities and exercises retrain the brain to effectively interact with the eyes and improve vision functioning. This therapy consists of weekly in-office appointments and assigned daily exercises, ranging from several weeks to several months. The training involves close monitoring and follow-up appointments to ensure steady improvements in the patient?s visual functions.

Q: Who can benefit from sports vision training?

  • A: Whether you play hockey or baseball or ride an e-scooter, sports vision training is perfect for anyone of any age and ability seeking to take their performance to the next level.

{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”: [{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is sports vision training?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Sports vision training is a customized program that improves the communication between your eyes, brain, and body while playing sports or riding a fast-moving vehicle. Sports vision training helps athletes and riders process information and then react faster and more accurately to what they see on the field or road.

Sports vision training uses a personalized series of techniques and exercises, resulting in the brain and body learning to respond more accurately and efficiently to what the eyes are seeing.”
}
},{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “Who can benefit from sports vision training?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “Whether you play hockey or baseball or ride an e-scooter, sports vision training is perfect for anyone of any age and ability seeking to take their performance to the next level.”
}
}
]
}

Share
Our Victoria Practice
Opto-Mization Optometry & Vision Therapy
200-775 Topaz Ave
Victoria, BC V8T 4Z7
Phone
(250) 590-7384
Fax
250-412-6459
Email
(Do not send personal health information by email.)
  • Monday:
    8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Tuesday:
    8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Wednesday:
    8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Thursday:
    8:30 AM - 6:00 PM
  • Friday:
    8:30 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Saturday:
    8:30 AM - 3:30 PM
  • Sunday:
    Closed
Rating
5.0
Out of 258 Reviews
Our Nanaimo Practice
Opto-Mization Optometry & Vision Therapy
205-1825 Bowen Rd
Nanaimo, BC V9S 1H1
Phone
(250) 591-0270
Fax
250-412-6459
Email
(Do not send personal health information by email.)
  • Monday:
    10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Tuesday:
    10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Wednesday:
    10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Thursday:
    11:00 AM - 5:30 PM
  • Friday:
    9:00 AM - 4:30 PM
  • Saturday:
    Closed
  • Sunday:
    Closed
Rating
4.9
Out of 55 Reviews

You Ask, We'll Answer

Educating you so you can make informed decisions

View More Resources
Want to ask a different question? Contact us here
  • What is Neuro-Optometry?

    Neuro-Optometry focuses on the intricate connection between your visual system and the brain, extending beyond traditional eye care to assess functional vision. This branch of optometry examines how your eyes track, move, coordinate, and how your brain processes depth, motion, and balance. Disruptions in these functions can lead to a range of issues including headaches, migraines, dizziness, balance challenges, post-concussion symptoms, reading difficulties, and attention deficits (ADHD). By exploring these functional areas, we also identify opportunities to enhance performance in activities such as sports, reading speed, and cognitive processes.

  • What is Vision Therapy?

    At Opto-Mization, vision therapy is a specialized, personalized program aimed at improving visual skills and abilities. It goes beyond traditional vision therapy to help improve how the eyes and brain work together, addressing visual-motor and perceptual-cognitive challenges to enhance overall visual function. It’s more than just exercises; it’s a pathway to better vision and improved daily life.

  • Do you Provide Regular Eye Exams and General Optometric Services?

    Yes, alongside vision therapy and neuro-optometry, we offer comprehensive eye exams and general optometry services. Our experienced optometrists perform thorough eye exams to evaluate overall eye health, identify any eye conditions or diseases, and prescribe corrective lenses when beneficial.

  • Who is the Ideal Candidate for Vision Therapy and Neuro-Optometry?

    Vision therapy and neuro-optometric rehabilitation can help individuals of all ages. Whether you’re struggling with visual processing issues, binocular vision disorders, amblyopia (lazy eye), strabismus (eye misalignment), or have sustained a brain injury, our services might be beneficial for you. Contact us to discuss if our tailored approach can meet your specific needs and goals.

  • Do I Need a Referral to See an Optometrist at Opto-Mization?

    No, you do not need a referral for an eye exam at Opto-Mization. We welcome anyone who suspects they might benefit from our services, whether you’re experiencing symptoms of visual discomfort or just want to ensure optimal visual performance. Feel free to reach out and schedule your appointment directly with us to take the first step toward understanding and improving your visual function.

  • Do You Direct Bill Insurance?

    Yes, we offer direct billing for a variety of insurance plans to make the process as seamless and hassle-free as possible for our patients. Our knowledgeable staff is well-versed in working with insurance providers, ensuring that you can maximize your benefits while minimizing out-of-pocket expenses for our services, including vision therapy and eye exams.