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Facts about LASIK and Olympic athletes who have undergone surgery.
LASIK eye surgery can be a great alternative to corrective lenses for many people―those who have worn glasses for years and are tired of the hassle, people who find contact lenses to be bothersome and uncomfortable, and even individuals who simply wish that their eyesight was a little better than it currently is. And while there are many different candidates and eye types that LASIK surgery can help to improve, there is one group of people who can truly benefit from the freedom and advantages of LASIK eye surgery―athletes.
There is a common misconception among people that LASIK surgery can be a huge risk and possible danger for athletes who are looking into the procedure. Many people believe that the process can sit you out of your sport or activity for months at a time, and even put you out permanently if something goes wrong.
However, the truth is that LASIK surgery has an extraordinarily fast recovery time (typically a couple days at the most) and is one of the safest, most non-invasive surgeries available, with only about 5% of patients experiencing negative side effects.
Because of this, many athletes find that LASIK can not only help to improve their vision, but also their performance during game time and their overall quality of life. Here are just a few reasons why LASIK eye surgery is a positive procedure for people who are active, and some examples of professional athletes who have undergone the surgery:
Why LASIK Is Great For Athletes:
When an athlete is out on the field or court during their game, their vision is one of the most important tools for their performance. However, if you are wearing glasses or contact lenses, your visual acuity and hand-eye coordination is not nearly as precise as it could be. At the same time, there are many different ways that your corrective lenses could actually work against you when playing sports.
For instance, if you are wearing eyewear when playing basketball, if you fall down or get harshly fouled, your glasses could easily break and shatter into your eyes. The same dangers go for contact wearers: Say that you are playing baseball when a bit of dust or debris goes into your lens; you could easily miss the final play that may cost your team the game.
For this reason, many professional athletes choose to seek out qualified LASIK surgeons to correct and improve any vision problems that they may have. Not only does this procedure help athletes move more comfortably and freely throughout the game, with no risk of injury or vision problems, but it can also make the game more fun since they are not worried about hurting their eye sight.
However, if a prospective patient is actively involved in activities that may lead to an eye injury such as boxing, martial arts, or occupations such as special forces, it may be better to opt for LASEK surgery, a surface treatment that does not involve creating a flap in the eye. Therefore, if a person gets hit in the eye following this procedure, there is no increased risk of injury.
LASIK For The Gold
Even professional Olympic athletes and notable athletic competitors, such as Chad Hendrick (US Speedskating Team) and Kristi Leskinen (Professional Free-Skier and X-Gamer), have come to OCLI in participation of LASIK For The Gold in order to improve their sight and their sport through LASIK surgery.
An avid sports fan, Cary M. Silverman, Medical Director of OCLI, began LASIK For The Gold as a means of helping to support some of America’s top athletes who participate in sports outside of those typically associated with professional ranks.
However, not just professional athletes can benefit from LASIK eye surgery. If you are interested in finding out if you are a proper candidate for this popular procedure, be sure to fill out our free LASIK evaluation on Facebook, or contact OCLI today to schedule a consultation.
