What Girls Aren’t Always Taught: Vision Is Part of Injury Prevention
A conversation with Dr. Arthur Jung, Optometrist & Ortho-K Specialist
TL;DW - here's a succinct summary of our conversation with Dr Jung!
When we talk about keeping girls safe in sport, we often focus on strength, conditioning, recovery, and mindset. But one major system is often missing from the conversation:the visual system.
In this interview, Dr. Arthur Jung (NYC optometrist and ortho-keratology specialist) shares what he’s learned working with young athletes — and why “seeing fine” doesn’t always mean an athlete’s visual system is performing at its best.
What Girls Aren’t Being Taught
Many young athletes are taught to push through discomfort. Dr. Jung explains that this mindset can show up with vision too: kids adapt, compensate, and often don’t realize anything is off until they’re tested.
One of his biggest messages is simple: Clear vision and healthy/strong visual performance are not the same thing.
An eye exam isn’t just about reading letters. It can also assess:
how smoothly the eyes track moving targets (tracking / “smooth pursuits”)
how quickly the eyes jump and re-lock (saccades)
depth perception (stereopsis)
focusing flexibility near-to-far (accommodation)
how well the eyes work together (binocularity/convergence)
For athletes — especially in sports where timing and body awareness matter — these skills can affect confidence and safety as much as physical training does.
Why This Matters in High-Speed Sports
For gymnasts, milliseconds count. Dr. Jung points out that vision issues can show up as:
dizziness
blurry or double vision
trouble spotting landings or locating equipment
anxiety that may actually be rooted in visual instability
He also shares a striking idea: sometimes vision strain can appear before muscle fatigue, which is why coaches and athletes should treat vision like a real performance system — not an afterthought.
The Confidence Barrier
Dr. Jung also acknowledges a practical reality for many girls: vision correction can feel like it threatens confidence. Glasses can reduce peripheral awareness and feel incompatible with fast, dynamic sports. Soft contacts can be disrupted by sweat, dust, or chalk — and in the middle of a routine, “my contact moved” isn’t an option. Which is why he often introduces athletes to an alternative that many families still haven’t heard of.
Ortho-K: A Tool More Girls Should Know Exists
Dr. Jung explains ortho-keratology (Ortho-K) as a customized nighttime lens that gently reshapes the cornea while an athlete sleeps. In the morning, the lens is removed and the athlete can see clearly without daytime glasses or contacts.
He also emphasizes something many families don’t realize: beyond convenience, Ortho-K can help slow the progression of myopia (nearsightedness) — which matters for long-term eye health.
Dr. Jung describes myopia as more than “needing glasses.” As myopia worsens, the eye can elongate, potentially increasing later-life risks for retinal issues and other eye conditions.
Simple At-Home Practices for Visual Skills
For families without access to specialized sports vision therapy, Dr. Jung shares a few simple practices to support visual stability (not to “fix” nearsightedness, but to build control and awareness):
Slow tracking circles (smooth pursuits) using a thumb or small target
Corner-to-corner eye jumps (saccades) to practice quick, accurate re-locking
Near-to-far refocusing (accommodation) to train visual flexibility
Learning to recognize double vision cues as a sign the eyes are teaming
The bigger point: girls deserve to know that these skills exist — and that they can be trained, noticed, and supported.
A Message for Young Female Athletes
Dr. Jung’s closing message is direct: Don’t ignore vision symptoms — especially under stress. Blurry vision, double vision, dizziness, or anxiety around performance may have a visual component. And “I see fine” doesn’t rule that out.
Get a thorough eye exam that looks beyond 20/20.