A comparison of static near stereo acuity in youth baseball/softball players and non-ball players.
BACKGROUND
Although many aspects of vision have been investigated in professional baseball players, few studies have been performed in developing athletes. The issue of whether youth baseball players have superior stereopsis to nonplayers has not been addressed specifically. The purpose of this study was to determine if youth baseball/softball players have better stereo acuity than non-ball players.


METHODS
Informed consent was obtained from 51 baseball/softball players and 52 non-ball players (ages 10 to 18 years). Subjects completed a questionnaire, and their static near stereo acuity was measured using the Randot Stereotest (Stereo Optical Company, Chicago, Illinois). Stereo acuity was measured as the seconds of arc between the last pair of images correctly distinguished by the subject.


RESULTS
The mean stereo acuity score was 25.5 +/- 1.7 seconds of arc in the baseball/softball players and 56.2 +/- 8.4 seconds of arc in the non-ball players. This difference was statistically significant (P < 0.00001). In addition, a perfect stereo acuity score of 20 seconds of arc was seen in 61% of the ball players and only 23% of the non-ball players (P = 0.0001).


CONCLUSIONS
Youth baseball/softball players had significantly better static stereo acuity than non-ball players, comparable to professional ball players.
Boden
Lauren M
LM
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Rosengren
Kenneth J
KJ
Martin
Daniel F
DF
Boden
Scott D
SD
D000293:Adolescent; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D001484:Baseball; D002648:Child; D003867:Depth Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014787:Vision Tests; D014792:Visual Acuity