Vision and Visual History in Elite/Near-Elite-Level Cricketers and Rugby-League Players

Sports Medicine - Open

Table 1 Details of clinical visual measures

Group	Age (years, mean ± SD, range)	Distance visual acuity (habitual^a) (LogMAR) (average ± SD) [range]	Number (%) showing improvement of ≥ 1 line with pinhole disc in at least 1 eye	Near visual acuity (habitual^a) (LogMAR) (average ± SD) [range]	Stereoacuity (″, seconds of arc)	Number (%) with red/green colour vision deficit
Elite cricketers (n = 16)	25.6 ± 2.9 [range 22–30]	− 0.07 ± 0.08 [+ 0.10 to − 0.18] (p < 0.001) ^b	1 (6%)	− 0.19 ± 0.05 [− 0.09 to − 0.26] (p = 0.02)^b	Average 34.2″ Median 30″ Range 15–60″ IQR 22.5″–45″ (p < 0.001) ^c	0 (0%)
Near-Elite cricketers (n = 23)	20.7 ± 1.5 [range 17–23]	− 0.04 ± 0.21 [+ 0.20 to − 0.18] (p = 0.02)^b	2 (8.7%)	− 0.18 ± 0.22 [+ 0.77 to − 0.30] (p = 0.64)^b	Average 36″ Median 22.5″ Range 15–120″ IQR 15″-52.5″ (p = 0.03)^c	2 (8.7%)
Rugby players (n = 20)	22.8 ± 3.5 [range 17–28]	− 0.09 ± 0.13 [+ 0.24 to − 0.20] (p = 0.03)^b	2 (10%)	− 0.19 ± 0.08 [0 to − 0.30] (p = 0.07)^b	Average 61″ Median 30″ Range 15–240″ IQR 30″–60″ (p = 0.47)^c	0 (0%)

P values in italics met the criterion for statistical significance (p < 0.01)
^aHabitual means with both eyes open, wearing any correction, that is normally worn when playing or without correction if not
^bResults of statistical comparison using t tests of distance and near (VA) visual acuity for our three samples to the average value (− 0.16 logMAR) expected in young adults with normal or correct-to-normal vision [49, 50]
^cResults of statistical comparison using z testing of TNO stereoacuity for our three samples against an average value for stereoacuity measured in young adults with the TNO test (50″)[51,52,53,54,55]