QRA - Sports Vision and Rifle Shooting

2007 Sports Vision Seminars

Once again, our expert Optometrist and Sports Vision Specialist Bryan Smith entertained shooters with his sports vision presentation at Belmont Range during the 2007 Queens Prize Meeting.

Next year Bryan is planning to make himself available to consult with shooters on the range prior to the Queens.   Dates will be advertised here closer to the 2008 competition.

Sports Vision Seminars cover the following topics with an emphasis on full bore shooting:

1.    Managing visual fatigue, before, during and after shooting.

2.    Visual problems that affect shooting and how they can be remedied

3.    What are the benefits of testing on the range versus testing in the office?

4.    Practical visual training for the shooting.

5.    Nutrition and vision. What can you add to you diet and what to avoid.

Bryan Smith

B.Optom (UNSW), FACBO, FCOVD

Aphrodite Livanes, Shop 43,
Alexandra Hills Shopping Centre
Finucane Road, Alexandra Hills, Queensland 4161
07 3824 1878

Exercise your eyes on the computer simulator
discussed at Bryan's presentation

Australian Institute of Sport Information

Bryan Smith and Aphrodite Livanes are local Optometrists with a practice only ten minutes away from Belmont Range and both are accredited Sports Vision specialists.   Bryan's expertise is prescribing for rifle shooters, an interest he developed  whilst serving in the Army Reserve with the University of NSW Regiment in Sydney.

Bryan caters for shooters from all disciplines and he will consult with members at the range with all their shooting gear in their shooting position in order to ensure they are fitted with the most appropriate visual aids.

How do I get to Aphrodite Livanes Optometrist?

Exit the range and turn right onto Old Cleveland Road.   Drive due east for approximately ten minutes, straight through Capalaba, past McDonalds and keep going towards Cleveland.  Look for the traffic lights with Hungry Jack's on the corner and turn right.   Turn left into the carpark and the shop is inside the Alexandra Hills shopping centre.

2006 Sports Vision Seminar

Rex and Meredith met with Bryan on behalf of the Queensland Rifle Association and arranged with him to give a presentation to interested shooters during the National Queens.   On Friday 23 June 2006, 35 members of the Qld, NSW, Nth Qld, NT, ACT, VIC and WA state teams, New Zealand Ladies team and club members attended a presentation on Sports Vision at Belmont Range.

Brian began by discussing the cause and effects of visual problems such as astigmatism (asymmetric blurring of vision), myopia (short sightedness) and hyperopia (long sightedness), and showed graphic images of eye diseases and injuries.

Bryan conducted some entertaining individual and group exercises to demonstrate the effects of lenses and occluders on visual and motor skills.  We practiced balancing, visualisation and listened to the benefits of muscle memory in sports performance. We laughed watching volunteers attempt simple physical tasks whilst wearing an eye patch or lenses designed to simulate impaired visual function.

Brian described in technical detail, the optical effects produced by different types of visual aids, from eagle eyes in the foresight to prescriptive lenses at the rear sight and eye.   He explained the use of multifocal contact lenses which are particularly suitable for shooters who are becoming presbyopic with age.  

Those of us who are over 40 and can no longer read the vernier scale on our sights without a magnifying glass are likely to be experiencing presbyopia, the gradual loss of flexibility in the lens of the eye, which is part of the normal aging process.   Normal vision is the ability to read and write at knuckle to elbow distance.

If you are experiencing difficulty in focussing on the foresight ring, aiming mark and vernier scale to your satisfaction, visit Bryan and take the following information and equipment with you to your initial consultation:

1.   All sighting aids such as eagle eye, diopter, lens, spectacles, glasses etc.
2.   Rear sight including variable aperture accessories.
3.   The exact measurement of the distance between your eye and your rear sight.
4.   The exact measurement of the distance between your rear sight and foresight.
5.   A list of the distances you shoot at eg 300 - 1000 yards.

Thanks Brian!

Kim O'Loghlen (Qld) trying to throw balls into a box whilst wearing various lenses to simulate visual impairment

Ann Chinnery (NQld) pouring water between tea cups whilst wearing an eye patch

Bryan presenting to State Rifle Teams and QRA members at Belmont Range