HOW WOULD you like to improve your average by as much as 10, 20, even 30 pins a game without rolling one practice game, or changing one aspect in your present bowling technique? Sound too good to be true? Well, it is possible. If you are a player who has discounted the critical role played by vision in the game of bowling, then the possibility is high that corrective measures concerning your eyesight could improve your game dramatically. Indeed, making better use of the eyes can aid substantially in developing a "sure-fire" method for pin-point accuracy (no pun intended). Are you one of those negligent in this consideration?

In bowling, all the concepts and principles regarding aiming (targeting) hinge strongly on the presumption that we have good eyesight. Yet, out of the many bowlers who enjoy good vision, only a few appreciate it exclusively. To bolster this point, consider several pro bowlers who were taunted into attempting to bowl blindfolded. Initially, they viewed this exercise as a "piece of cake." But once the blindfolds were put on, not one of them came close to keeping the ball on the lane. In some instances, balls were rolled down adjacent lanes! Though priding themselves in being able to "split boards," they nevertheless proved conclusively that you can't hit what you can't see. Now that we understand vision's importance, let's learn a little more about it.

Only in recent years has science begun to understand how we are able to see. We're now in the process of learning how light impulses are changed into a visual image in the brain. We understand that the eye structures bring the energy into focus on the retina, convert the energy into nerve impulses, and transmit these electric currents over the optic nerve to the back of the brain, then forward to other parts of the brain. It is with the brain, not the eyes, that we "see."

As with the body, eyes have a growth spurt during puberty; therefore, teens should have their eyes tested every two to four years, after which regular eye examinations are usually not required until one gets into his or her 40s, barring problems.

Once into adulthood, a thorough eye examination is recommended. During this exam, the specialist will test each eye separately, and then both together. The remainder of the exam is done at a distance of 20 feet (or with mirrors to create the effect of a 20 foot distance), because a vision rating system has been set up using this distance. The Snellen's chart is the most popular method for measuring vision. This method tests one's ability to distinguish letters or numbers in different sizes. Normal vision is perceived as 20/20, which means a person can see at 20 feet what most people can see at 20 feet. However, there are some people whose vision rates significantly higher than 20/20.

After the Snellen's test, the eye specialist next checks and observes eye movement to make sure it is normal. A refraction, which tests the eyes for glasses, is then done by putting special frames on the nose or by using a Phoroptor. The patient sits in front of this machine, which allows the examiner to test vision with a variety of glass lenses. This determines which modifications will afford you the best vision.

Next, the specialists test your eyes for muscle balances to make sure your eyes work together. This is done by having you look at targets while covering and uncovering one eye and then the other, to determine how well your eyes can fix on the identical target, as well as to accurately gauge your depth perception. Following this, routine tests are performed which test for such things as infections, tumors and glaucoma.

Once the examination is completed, your doctor will prescribe glasses if the need for them is apparent. For the most part, glasses are prescribed to correct four common visual problems: Nearsightedness (myopia); Farsightedness (hyperopia); Astigmatism; and Presbyopia.

Nearsightedness is usually the result of having an eye somewhat longer than normal from front to back (cornea to retina). With this condition, you can usually read very well, but distant objects are blurred without glasses. Which brings to mind the nearsighted bowler who exclaimed, "I have 20/20 vision. Twenty inches out of one eye, and 20 inches out of the other!"

Farsightedness indicates that your eyes are shorter than normal. With this condition you can usually see well at a distance, but as you get older you will most likely need glasses to read.

Astigmatism results when the front part of the eye is not round as a bowling ball, but more curved in one direction than the other, similar to the contour of a football. Consequently, light rays are bent as they enter the eye, distorting images. To enable someone with astigmatism to see properly, specialists grind cylinders into glass lenses according to a specific prescription.

Presbyopia is a form of farsightedness occuring after middle age, caused by a diminished elasticity of the chrystalline lens. Again, vision can be improved with a proper lens prescription.

Much jest is made about one's ability to see ("The only reason I wear glasses is because I can't believe what I'm seeing," etc.). But, putting humor aside, good vision is one of our most prized possessions, one that we too often take for granted. And as it pertains to bowling, the bowler who can actually focus the eyes on the second arrow, when selecting it as the ball's path, has an advantage over the player who must focus his or her eyes three or four boards to the left in order to hit the same target.