Tying eye health to performance encourages athletes to seek care

In an exclusive interview with Optometry Times, Nanasy discussed how she motivates athletes to look after their eye health and recommendations for optometrists interested in sports vision. Nanasy often sees athletes who have never had an eye exam. She once evaluated a receiver who was 20/20 in one eye and 20/50 in the other and had never worn glasses or contact lenses.

To encourage athletes to look after their eye health, Nanasy ties it back to performance. She advises optometrists to ask athletes guiding questions. For example, Nanasy may ask a baseball player about their on-base average or whether they are swinging at pitches outside the strike zone. “A lot of them have vision plans. A lot of them have some sort of an insurance. They’re just not utilizing it,” Nanasy said.

Working alongside athletic teams

Although performance may draw athletes in, Nanasy recommends focusing largely on eye health when approaching teams. Athletic team staff may face questions optometrists can answer, such as whether an athlete with conjunctivitis can play or how to manage an eye injury from a resistance band.

Optometrists interested in working alongside athletic teams should reach out to the athletic trainer first, and propose a “lunch-and-learn” informative presentation on eye care. “It … breaks down that barrier,” Nanasy emphasized. She advises against leading with business considerations. Athletic teams often assume an optometrist wants something from them, and Nanasy prefers to prioritize building relationships over profit.

Key components of performance vision evaluations

Although evaluations vary depending on sport and experience, Nanasy includes several core components each time. These components include visual acuity, autorefraction, depth perception, extraocular motility, pupils, and near point of convergence. Nanasy emphasized that near point of convergence is essential for athletes and nonathletes alike. She also prefers to dilate patients, but it is rarely practical during a game.

Nanasy sometimes conducts a King-Devick assessment for concussion and recommends it for its repeatability. She uses it less with professional teams, which run their own concussion baselines, but recommends it for high school and college athletes. Specific components of the evaluation may vary depending on the sport. For example, when evaluating a baseball player, she adds M&S dynamic visual acuity and contrast sensitivity testing, a tachistoscope-type program to assess visual processing, and RightEye eye-tracking to assess eye movements.

Resources for optometrists

Nanasy shared advice and resources for optometrists interested in sports vision. One of these resources is the International Sports Vision Association, which is hosting its next meeting from June 3-5, 2027, in Boston, Massachusetts,. She also encouraged optometrists to make themselves accessible to athletic trainers. “Come in as a part of their team. And that’s what’s worked for me over and over,” Nanasy said.

To watch the first part of Nanasy’s interview, where she discussed how her own concussion shaped her approach to athletes and why she connects exam findings to performance, click here.