Sports Vision Training for Athletes in Carmel and Online
Sports vision training is structured practice of the visual, decision and reaction skills an athlete uses in play. At Ares Elite Sports Vision in Carmel, Indiana, each plan is built from the athlete’s own evaluation, run in 45-minute in-office sessions or by live tele-training, and adjusted around the athlete’s season; progress is measured at a re-evaluation ($299, booked separately).
Athletes do not receive random drills. Their training plan is based on measured strengths, bottlenecks, sport demands, and progress over time. Sessions are run by Dr. Joseph LaPlaca, OD, or an A.R.E.S. Certified Trainer, depending on the athlete’s program.
What does sports vision training work on?
Training works on these skills, chosen for each athlete from the evaluation and the demands of the sport:
How long does sports vision training take?
There is no fixed program length and no promise of quick results. Training is part of an athlete’s preparation for as long as they compete: it is planned around the season, and the work changes as the athlete’s numbers, sport and schedule change. Progress is measured at re-evaluation, a separate $299 session that compares the athlete’s numbers with their own baseline.
Ares training is structured, progressive, and measurable. Athletes are challenged through visual, cognitive, and reaction-based tasks that increase in complexity as they improve. The goal is not to simply make drills harder. The goal is for the athlete to stay fast and accurate as the tasks get more complex.
Training moves through three phases. How long each one lasts depends on the athlete, the sport and the time of season.
System De-Synchronization
We start by breaking down complex athletic movements to isolate specific visual and cognitive bottlenecks. You will experience failure as we raise stimulus speeds past your baseline.
Neuromuscular Integration
Once the visual and cognitive work is consistent, we re-introduce sport-specific motor output. We train your body to execute complex physical actions while processing dense visual information at extremely high speeds.
Pressure Consolidation
We overload the system physically and cognitively. The goal is for speed and accuracy to hold under game-level stress, and the re-evaluation measures whether they do.
What a 45-minute session involves, and how often athletes train
Inside The Lab
Inside an A.R.E.S. training session
Take a look inside real A.R.E.S. sessions. We use cognitive loading, reactive tech, and VR tools at the speed of competitive sports.
Responding to targets across the visual field while the athlete is moving.
Choosing between several targets under time pressure and cognitive load.
Game-speed simulations that pair specific visual cues with a motor response.
Why are generic drills not enough?
Most athletes do not need more random reaction drills. They need to know what is actually limiting performance. Ares starts with objective evaluation, then trains the specific skills that matter for that athlete and that sport.
Outside Indiana: remote training with Ares Academy
Sports vision training questions
Does sports vision training work?
Research shows that trained visual and reaction skills improve: athletes get better at the tasks they practice. How much of that carries over into game results is still being studied.
Ares does not promise a result. It measures each athlete’s own change at re-evaluation, against that athlete’s baseline, and treats training as part of an athlete’s preparation for the length of a career rather than a quick fix.
Is sports vision training the same as vision therapy?
No. Vision therapy is clinical care for a visual condition, such as a problem with how the eyes team, focus or move, and aims to bring vision back to normal function. Sports vision training at Ares is performance training: it measures and trains the visual and reaction skills an athlete uses in their sport. Ares does not treat eye conditions; athletes who need clinical care are referred to an appropriate eye-care provider.
Who runs the sports vision training sessions?
Training sessions are run by Dr. Joseph LaPlaca, OD, or an A.R.E.S. Certified Trainer, depending on the athlete’s program. Dr. LaPlaca runs the evaluations the training plans are built from.
How much does sports vision training cost?
Training follows the 75-minute evaluation ($449), which every new athlete books first.
In-office packages: 4 sessions a month for $399 a month or 8 sessions a month for $599 a month (monthly subscriptions), or a 20-session package for $1,999 or a 40-session package for $3,699.
Remote Ares Academy plans are billed monthly by card and renew until cancelled: Elite at $499 a month with a 6-month minimum commitment (4 sessions a month), or Elite Custom at $1,599 a month with a 12-month minimum commitment (12 one-on-one sessions a month). Both include a home equipment kit.
Prices are as listed on the booking page. A re-evaluation is $299.
More answers: What the evaluation measures · Sports vision FAQ · How to choose a sports vision provider · Training by sport · Vision training for baseball and softball hitters