Static and dynamic visual acuity and refractive errors in elite football players

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Ophthalmology
• Human Performance

Background:

• Elite football players undergo visual demands impacting performance.
• Understanding visual acuity and refractive error is crucial for player assessment.
• Visual compensation use varies among athletes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate static and dynamic visual acuity in elite football players.
• To assess refractive error prevalence within this athlete cohort.
• To examine the utilization of visual correction strategies during play.

Main Methods:

• 147 professional male football players were analyzed between 2015-2017.
• Methods included surveys on visual correction use, autorefraction, static visual acuity (Snellen chart), and dynamic visual acuity (COI-SV software).
• Data was collected on refractive error, static visual acuity, and dynamic visual acuity.

Main Results:

• Mean refractive error was -0.04 ± 0.83 D, with 16.4% myopia prevalence.
• Dynamic visual acuity differed significantly by player position (p = 0.033).
• Goalkeepers showed the highest dynamic visual acuity (0.82 ± 0.14), while forwards had the lowest (0.62 ± 0.17). Forwards also had a higher myopia prevalence (22.5%) compared to goalkeepers (12.5%).

Conclusions:

• Forwards exhibit lower dynamic visual acuity compared to other player positions.
• Only 25% of football players requiring visual correction for sports actually use it.
• Targeted visual assessments and correction strategies may enhance player performance.