May 8, 2019
Jennifer Stewart, OD, opened a second office to bring together her love of sports with her love of enhancing visual performance. At Performance 20/20, amateur and professional athletes work with specialized trainers and the latest sports vision technology to improve hand-eye coordination, peripheral vision, anticipation and visual processing. Here is the how-to.
Establishing a Sports & Performance Vision Training Center |
Setting Up a Sports Vision Training Center |
|
|
GO BIG, IF YOU CAN. If the demand for sports vision training in your area is strong enough, you could have one location just for sports vision and another location for primary eyecare. If possible, you could even base the sports training location in a sports complex. HELPS IF YOU’RE AN ATHLETE YOURSELF. You can leverage your love of sports, and personal experience, to better communicate with patients about the challenges of their sport, and make recommendations for contact lenses and glasses based on your own experience. CREATE CUSTOM PROGRAMS. Work with coaches to create a custom sports vision training program for each patient that works toward personalized goals.
|
YOU CAN START SMALL, TOO. If you have as little as one exam lane you can spare, you can buy a few introductory pieces of equipment and start seeing sports vision patients. NETWORK. Contact local sports coaches to introduce yourself, and let them know of the services you provide to athletes. Also get the word out to the athletes at all levels who may visit you for primary eyecare. LOOK FOR A MENTOR. Find an OD who successfully does sports vision therapy for guidance on emulating their success, and avoiding pitfalls they wish someone had warned them about.
|
|
Jennifer Stewart, OD, is Chief Vision Officer at Performance 20/20, a sports and performance vision training facility in Stamford, Conn. She is also a partner at Norwalk Eye Care. To contact her: jen.stewart@perform2020.com
