The Sports and Performance Vision Center (SPVC), a state-of-the art facility directed by one of the foremost authorities on sports vision, opened its doors at the University Eye Center on July 1.
Dr. Daniel M. Laby, an ophthalmologist with more than two decades of experience enhancing and improving the vision of professional and elite athletes, is the center’s director and holds an appointment of associate clinical professor in the Vision Rehabilitation Service.
“I am very excited and appreciative of the opportunity to develop the Sports and Performance Vision Center at SUNY Optometry,” Dr. Laby said. “New York is the center of the sporting world and the College is at the center of optometric care. This is a perfect storm that will undoubtedly lead to success.”
Dr. David Troilo, vice president and dean for Academic Affairs, said that the College is “very happy to be welcoming such an accomplished clinician and academic as Dr. Laby into our community. Sports vision is a burgeoning area in eye care and we’re very pleased to have him here to build what we expect will be an important element of our educational and clinical activities at the College.”
Sports vision involves developing and implementing evaluation and training techniques that are specifically designed to improve the visual abilities of an athlete. Sports vision specialists often look to improve skills such as eye-hand coordination, dynamic visual acuity, peripheral awareness, focusing and visual reaction time in addition to the basic functions of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity as well as binocular vision. The field has grown exponentially in recent years, with many professional sports teams now regularly employing sports vision specialists as part of their training and medical staffs.
“We’re very pleased to welcome Dr. Laby and look forward to the work that he’ll be doing in our new Sports and Performance Vision Center,” said Dr. Daniella Rutner, the University Eye Center’s acting chief of Vision Rehabilitation Services. “People are becoming increasingly savvy and aware of the vast range of specialized visual skills required for improving function and success at their respective occupation, sport, or hobby. Vision is so much more than just ‘sight’ and sports and performance vision is one of the ways in which this point is being effectively illustrated.”