An overview of important vision skills for Archery

and how sports vision training can improve performance

Sports Vision Training for Archery

Archery is a sport which requires intense focus, concentration, and precision. The very nature of the sport requires that, and often things are compounded by both the pressure of competition, crowds, and the allotted time to make the shot. Improving key vision skills can lead to dramatic increases in performance.

Sports vision training is about identifying the neuro-visual processes that are essential for high level athletic performance, and creating a customized training program that helps the athlete excel at those critical visual skills. As over 80% of all information processed in competitive sports is visual, athletes who undergo sports vision training have an edge over their competitors.

Core Visual Skills

While there are a number of vision skills that are important for archers, some are more crucial to performance than others.

Core vision skills for archers include:

Hand-Eye-Body Coordination: While there are sports in which hand-eye coordination alone is more important, archery is a discipline which requires total body control as an archer lines up his shot and prepares to release. Improving this link between the eyes and body will enable better coordination, and thus superior performance when it counts.
Depth Perception and Distance Estimation: It’s easy to understand why this visual skill is vital for a successful archer. Having elite depth perception and an enhanced ability to effectively judge distance is required to reliably hit small targets at great distances.
Contrast Sensitivity: Contrast sensitivity is the ability to identify and track objects against different backgrounds, and in different lighting conditions. For archers, the ability to properly see the target no matter the colors around it or the lighting conditions is crucial for improving consistency in hitting the bulls-eye.
Visualization: As with many other sports, especially those which require precision, the ability to visualize yourself successfully performing an action such as making a perfect shot can increase your ability to actually pull it off. Archery is no exception, and training this skill can result in improved performance.

Secondary Visual Skills

Secondary visual skills for archers aren’t necessarily any less important than core visual skills, though they are not quite as central to what is needed for a racer to be successful.

Secondary visual skills for archers include:

Visual Concentration: This is the ability to “get in the zone” and maintain complete focus on a visual task while tuning out potential distractions. For archery, a sport which requires intense focus on a single task, improving this skill can make the difference between being good and being great.
Dynamic Visual Acuity: This is a skill which enables an athlete to track moving objects effectively. While in archery the target is often stationary, that is not always the case, and improved ability to track moving targets is therefore a vital skill to improve.

Elevate your level of play and edge out the competition

with Sports Vision Training!

Book an Appointment

Dr. Wernick

Dr. Nathaniel (Nat) Wernick, FCOVD, graduated from the Northeastern State University College of Optometry and was selected for Residency training at the State University of New York (SUNY) College of Optometry. As a Resident Optometrist, he specialized in Pediatrics, Vision Therapy, and Traumatic Brain Injury. He has advanced training in developmental optometry and is a Fellow of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development (FCOVD).

Patients visiting Dr. Wernick will receive an in depth examination that extends beyond a comprehensive eye examination with a detailed look at ocular health, vision, contact lens fitting, prescription for eyewear, as well as developmental vision to screen for teaming skills, binocular vision, and visual processing. Dr. Wernick provides full-scope care to patients of all ages including diagnosis and treatment of conditions including red eyes, eye allergies, diabetic and hypertensive eye checks, glaucoma, macular degeneration, dry eyes, eye strain/headaches, and cataracts. Dr. Wernick's advanced training in developmental vision, makes him a sought after provider for pediatric patients, special needs, post concussion, post stroke and sports vision.