Being a star athlete requires staying on top of the game in every way, including having excellent vision. Whether driving a golf ball longer and straighter, tracking opponents on the football field or throwing a perfect pitch, freedom from glasses, contacts, and blurred vision is central to the performance of any M.V.P. Eyeglasses are poorly suited to rigors of sports, as they can fall off, fog up and hinder peripheral vision. Even more so, they are especially problematic in extreme or contact sports. With the constant need for players to trump their competitors, sports and laser vision correction go hand-in-hand. It’s no surprise that many athletes have had LASIK surgery to achieve 20/20 vision or better. Many players have seen their athletic performance improve following LASIK surgery.
These examples reaffirm that for athletes, LASIK could be the best play yet:
- Rip Hamilton, shooting guard for the Chicago Bulls, boosted his field-goal percentage after laser eye surgery. Before LASIK, his percentage was at a steady 44. After LASIK, it rose to 47.
- After achieving 20/15 eyesight after LASIK, Greg Maddox improved his near perfect pitching. The Atlanta Braves pitcher ended his pre-LASIK losing streak by winning 9 out of 10 games after LASIK eye surgery.
- Johnny Peralta, shortstop for the Detroit Tigers, had a batting average of 254 before LASIK. Shortly after laser vision correction, this number rose to 270.
- LeBron James, basketball player for the Miami Heat, told reporters he could see the rim and net much clearer after having LASIK surgery. The athlete’s claims matched up with his field goal percentage, which went form 46 to 49 percent after LASIK.
- Tiger Woods is one of the most well known athletes to have undergone laser eye surgery. The professional golfer experienced a noticeable performance improvement after LASIK surgery. Before the procedure, his average score was 4 under. Following LASIK, this number improved to 10 under par.
Whether a professional swimmer, an amateur basketball player or an active person seeking freedom from glasses and contacts, LASIK may be an ideal solution. View patients’ testimonials of Dr. Kugler to see how LASIK has changed lives.
Lance Kugler, MD, is a specialist in LASIK and vision correction surgery and CEO of Kugler Vision. A proud Omaha native, he is passionate about improving lives through clear vision. Dr. Kugler serves on several national boards, and his practice is recognized internationally as a center of excellence. Dr. Kugler is one of the original founders of the Refractive Surgery Alliance, an international organization comprised of over 350 of the world’s leading vision correction surgeons; he also served as its first president. In 2019, Dr. Kugler was selected as a TEDx speaker, and delivered a talk in Omaha about the worldwide epidemic of nearsightedness and refractive solutions. Dr. Kugler is an Associate Professor of Refractive Surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Truhlsen Eye Institute, has been published in many medical journals, and participates in numerous clinical studies to advance the field of vision correction surgery. Additionally, Dr. Kugler is proud to be a Board Certified Fellow of the World College of Refractive Surgery & Visual Sciences. Dr. Kugler and his wife are proud parents to five active kids. When he has a spare moment, he enjoys skiing, tennis, travel, and fine coffee.
