See Strong to Ski Strong

Barry L. Seiller, M.D. Director Vision Performance U.S. SKI TEAM

No matter how advanced your ski skills are you'll never master the hill if your vision or visual skills are subpar.

In the past, it was assumed that an athlete either had good visual skills or didn't, and other than prescribing corrective lenses, nothing could be done to improve upon that natural ability. Research during the past decade has revealed; however, that like other physical skills, your visual skills can be trained and improved.

The U.S. Ski Team now utilizes visual training focusing on those skills that are important to skiing. Skiing demands excellent dynamic visual acuity (that is, the ability to see clearly while you're in motion); speed of focusing (shifting your gaze rapidly from near to far and back again); contrast sensitivity (seeing well under variable lighting and weather conditions); depth perception (accurately assessing depth and distance); eye motility (moving your eyes in conjunction with each other); peripheral awareness (being aware of obstacles to the far right and left); and speed of recognition (quickly identifying and responding to a visual cue).

To determine which of your visual skills need strengthening, visit an eye care practitioner specializing in visual skills or sports vision training. For the name of one near you, write to Visual Fitness Institute, 6 Phillip Road, Suite 1110, Vernon Hills, IL 60061.

Below are some multipurpose exercises you can perform at home to improve your visual skills. Do two or three of these exercises for a total of 30 minutes three times a week. You may feel some eye strain, but no pain.

Pencil push-ups: Hold a pencil at arm's length. Focus on the pencil's number and move the pencil toward you. When the number blurs, extend your arm and begin again.

Then hold one pencil in each hand; one as close to your face as possible without the number blurring, the other at arm's length. Focus first on the near pencil (you should see two of the distant pencil). Then stare at the far pencil until you can see two of the near pencil. Alternate your focus, gradually increasing your speed. Do each exercise for five minutes, rest five minutes and then repeat.

Marsden ball: Put press-on letters on a Wiffle ball. Hang the ball by a string in a doorway. Twist the string and while the ball turns identify as many letters as possible. Perform for three minutes, rest three minutes and repeat.

Random letter jumble: Place press-on letters or numbers randomly on a clear acetate sheet. Put the acetate over a TV screen. Turn on the TV and try to track the letters or numbers in sequence (e.g., a,b,c or 1,2,3). Do for three minutes, rest three minutes and repeat.

On the move: While a passenger in a car or while walking briskly, hold your head steady and try to read road signs, license plates, etc., on your far right or left, without moving your head or eyes. Do for five minutes, rest five minutes and repeat.

Couch potato: Turn on a TV station - such as the Preview Channel - that continuously lists text on the screen. Also open a newspaper. Alternate your reading of the TV and the paper, gradually increasing your speed. Do for five minutes, rest five minutes and repeat.

To improve your hand/eye/body coordination, perform these exercises while bouncing on a mini trampoline.

When preparing for skiing, consider starting a visual training program. You will see a difference on the slopes.