Optometry’s place in the huddle

Katie Connolly, O.D., has always been a sports fan, particularly when her beloved Indiana University (IU) Hoosiers are in the game. 

But last year’s college football playoffs were especially meaningful for Dr. Connolly because she helped the team’s superstar quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, achieve the best vision of his life. Mendoza, who won the Heisman Trophy, led the Hoosiers to the 2025 national championship title. This year, he was selected first overall by the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL draft. 

Along with serving as the IU Athletics optometrist, Dr. Connolly is also chief of the Pediatric and Binocular Vision Service and coordinator for the Pediatric Optometry Residency, which she completed in 2015. 

What does being the sports optometrist for IU entail? 

I’m the dedicated point person who knows the facility, knows the trainers, knows the physicians and knows what time practice ends, so I can show up and touch base. A lot of the care I provide is contact lens fittings and urgent care. 

Sometimes there is reluctance from the athletes to get care because they don’t think they have a vision problem. They don’t necessarily understand what the value would be until they experience it. It’s my job to convince them that it’s worth going through the struggles of inserting and removing contact lenses so they can experience what it’s like to play with corrected vision. They’re always super respectful and motivated, and it’s a lot of fun to help them how I can. 

Tell us about your experience treating Fernando Mendoza. 

We do a vision screening for every incoming athlete. Our screening is not just visual acuity testing; we also check stereopsis, eye alignment via a cover test, refraction via auto refraction and retinoscopy and pupil testing. Optometry students assist with the screening by performing visual acuity, stereopsis and autorefraction while I do the retinoscopy, cover test, and pupil check. Then I talk to the athlete about their results. 

In Fernando’s screening, when he transferred to IU in January 2025, we found hyperopia (farsightedness) on his retinoscopy. We then did a full comprehensive eye exam with dilation to figure out how much hyperopia he had. When he came for the exam, he said that in IU’s indoor training facility, where the lighting environment is different from outside on a football field, he noticed some issues with his vision, particularly blurry vision that would come in and out. In all other activities, he didn't notice issues with his vision. 

Once he got fit for contacts and his vision improved, he realized just how much he had been experiencing symptoms. He was assuming everybody else experienced the same things he had been experiencing and that it was normal. 

How can other doctors of optometry help athletes with their vision? 

Athletes primarily need routine eye care, contact lens fittings, and basic education on eye care. There are so many athletes who have uncorrected vision problems. I am always shocked by how many athletes have uncorrected astigmatism, uncorrected hyperopia or poor contact lens habits. 

Most optometrists are well equipped to handle what is needed to be an effective optometrist for an athletic team or a department. Consider reaching out to your local high school if you are interested in getting started. Often the best points of contact are the athletic training staff or coaches.

Optometry’s Meeting® helps you grow your practice 

Optometry's Meeting® in Phoenix, June 17-20, offers an expansive lineup of continuing education (CE), leadership development and hands-on learning opportunities designed to meet the needs of today’s optometric professionals. Here are some opportunities to integrate sports and performance vision into your practice.