Vernon Hills, IL (PRWEB) November 14, 2012

College athletes possess superior visual skills as compared to their non-athlete peers, according to a recent study by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The findings bolster previous studies outlining the benefits of visual training in athletic, academic and occupational pursuits.

The study, An Evaluation of Visual Skills of Athletes and Non-Athletes, was headed by Renae Hudak and Dr. Frank Spaniol of the Department of Kinesiology, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

The research was conducted on NCAA Division 1 student-athletes consisting of 72 baseball, softball and volleyball players, and a group of 30 non-athlete students. All subjects were between the ages of 18-25. Visual skills were assessed using the web-based Visual Edge Performance Trainer (VEPT) software program and 3-D glasses. The assessment included testing for visual alignment, depth perception, visual flexibility, visual recognition and visual tracking. The VEPT produces a harmonized score of these testing protocols called the Edge Score.

Using the VEPT, a visual skills assessment was completed for all subjects. The mean Edge Score for the student-athletes was 74.04, while the mean Edge Score for the non-athlete students was 70.47. In conclusion, the results of this study indicate that NCAA Division I student-athletes possess superior visual skills when compared to non-athlete students, the study’s authors wrote.

A previous study conducted by Dr. Spaniol’s research teams at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi demonstrated significant improvement in the hitting performance of college baseball players after enhancing their visual skills through the Vizual Edge Performance Trainer. Weve known from previous survey studies that professional and college baseball and softball players believe that training with Vizual Edge enhances their performance, Spaniol said. The results of this study confirmed that college baseball players who trained with Vizual Edge outperformed those who did not. These results further support other studies that demonstrated that the top athletes also have superior visual skills as compared to others.

What is Vizual Edge?

Vizual Edge evaluates, measures, and then boosts the speed and efficiency of your eye movements, depth perception, recognition and tracking ability, as well as the reaction time and accuracy of responses.http://www.vizualedge.com/vision-performance-training/sports-vision-presentation The Vizual Edge Performance Trainer is a computer-based 3-D tool that improves a players timing, visual perception and decision-making. We call it weight training for the eyes, but you could say that its performance training with a click of the mouse, said Dr. Barry Seiller, a Chicago area ophthalmologist who founded the Visual Fitness Institute and pioneered the Vizual Edge software that athletic, academic and workforce centers across the globe are incorporating into their training programs.

“The competitive nature of sports has led to concentrating on enhancing visual skills,” Dr. Seiller said. Our technology is really designed for any athlete in a sport that requires quick reactions, Seiller said. So many of our athletes have all of the mechanics, the size and strength, but still something is missing for them to excel. Whats missing is training their visual skills.

Vizual Edge performance specialist Kathy Puchalski added, Vizual Edges sports vision training increases the speed and accuracy of your responses on the playing field. Our website provides a comprehensive and clear understanding of this technology with numerous explanatory videos. Successful clients/teams include softball, tennis, hockey, football, ruby, soccer, lacrosse, golf and many other sports including motor racing. Athletes in the United States, Canada, Argentina, Netherlands, South Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom and other countries are using the tool.

For further information on the Vizual Edge Performance Trainer, go to http://www.vizualedge.com or call 312-8-VIZUAL (312-884-9825).

Main Press Contact

Kathy Puchalski, vice president

Tel: 847-816-3131

E-mail: info(at)vizualedge.com