Sports Vision and Hispanic/Latino Communities: An Opportunity for Optometrists

By: Amanda Nanasy, OD

For many Hispanic and Latino families, sports like soccer and baseball are part of everyday life. Yet vision is rarely part of the conversation.

For optometrists, that creates a practical opportunity to connect eye care to something patients and families already value.

Looking beyond acuity

Sports vision goes beyond seeing clearly. It involves how the eyes and brain work together—tracking, reaction time, and depth perception.

These skills can influence performance and, in some cases, be improved. The International Sports Vision Association provides education and resources for optometrists interested in incorporating sports vision into practice.

Where the gap exists

In many Hispanic/Latino communities, sports participation is high, but awareness of vision’s role in performance is limited.

In practice, this often shows up as:

• Athletes who “see fine” but struggle with tracking or reaction time
• Vision concerns addressed only when symptoms are obvious
• Limited understanding of how vision affects performance
• Communication gaps that impact follow-through

At the same time, Hispanic populations are less likely to access routine eye care and face higher risk for certain vision conditions.¹ One national analysis found that Hispanic adults were the least likely racial or ethnic group to use eye care services, making sports another practical entry point for conversations about vision, prevention and regular eye examinations.

Safety: a missed entry point

Sports vision is not only about performance—it’s also about protection.

Eye injuries are a leading cause of vision loss in sports, and many sports-related eye injuries are preventable with appropriate protective eyewear, yet awareness and use of protection remain limited, particularly among youth and recreational athletes. National Survey of Children’s Health data from 2024 show that a substantial share of Hispanic children participate in organized sports or sports lessons, providing another opportunity to engage families in conversations about eye safety, protection and overall vision care.

Protect. Prevent. Play., an educational resource from the International Sports Vision Association and Zyloware Eywear, offers practical, patient-friendly guidance to help eye care professionals reinforce the importance of protection alongside performance, including sport-specific recommendations that can be easily incorporated into patient conversations.

A note on data

While sports-related eye injuries are common and largely preventable, there is limited data specifically examining how these injuries impact Hispanic and Latino populations—highlighting an important gap in awareness and research.²

Closing perspective

For optometrists working with Hispanic and Latino patients, sports can be a meaningful and culturally relevant entry point into broader conversations about eye health.

By connecting vision to performance and safety—using clear, relatable language—providers can help patients and families better understand the value of eye care, support earlier engagement, and build stronger, more trusted relationships over time.

References

1. National Eye Institute. Hispanic/Latino Eye Health. https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-health-data-and-statistics/hispanic-latino-eye-health
2. American Academy of Ophthalmology. Sports Eye Safety. https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/injuries-sports