Dr. Sibley is the Team
Eye Doctor for professional sports teams. In the current era, almost
every pro team has a regular team physician and an ophthalmologist
on the roster. Like Dr. Sibley; most of the team eye doctors
specialize in All-Laser Lasik laser vision correction. Super
high-definition vision after All-Laser Lasik laser vision correction
helps to optimize any competitive advantage.
Visual acuity and eye-hand coordination is required for athletics
and sports. The history of visual success stories involving
athletes, pro and otherwise, in almost every sport is now
widespread. We present here a brief overview of some representative
examples. The list is very long and continues to grow.
Golf:
Tiger Woods, Tom Kuyt and many others have had laser vision
correction. Tiger's experience was a virtual fairy-tale infomercial
for this procedure: He was quite nearsighted; had LASIK in about
August of 1997; and then won the next six consecutive PGA tour
events he entered. At the time, he was quoted as saying, "the cup
looks bigger now." Tiger subsequently became a national spokesperson
for TLC Laser Eye Centers, one of the largest and highest-quality
networks of laser treatment in North America.
Other pro golfers including Scott Hoch, Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, and
Mike Weir have hit the 20/15 mark after having LASIK. Kite had LASIK
in 1998 and won six events on the Champions Tour over the next five
years. Three months after his surgery, Irwin captured the Senior PGA
Tour Nationwide Championship.
Also on the senior tour, Gary Player chose to have ReZoom multifocal
lenses implanted so that he could enjoy clear distance and near
vision, without the need for either reading or distance glasses. Pro
golfers seek "to optimize any competitive advantage," a LASIK
surgeon told the Los Angeles Times. "They're already tuned in to the
best clubs, the best putter, the best ball. ... Clearly having great
vision is one of the best competitive advantages you can have."
Baseball:
In 2000, four-time Cy young Award-winner Greg Maddux (then pitching
for the Atlanta Braves) had LASIK. As the story goes, he chose to
have treatment during the regular season, on a Monday; then went out
that Wednesday and pitched a 1-hitter. Prior to treatment he had
been 0 - 3 in six starts that season; after treatment he won nine of
his next 10 games. Quite a testimonial for both excellent visual
recovery and zero down-time.
Other players choosing to have LASIK and publicly discuss their
experience have included Wade Boggs, Fred McGriff, Jeff Bagwell,
Jeff Cirillo, Jeff Conine, Jose Cruz Jr., Wally Joyner, Mark Redman,
and Larry Walker, just to name a few.
Most states think you're fine to drive a car without corrective
lenses as long as your eyesight is better than 20/40. Cirillo, then
a third baseman for the Seattle Mariners, was 20/35 in one eye and
20/30 in the other when he went in for LASIK several years ago. He
came out 20/20 and 20/12. Cruz, an outfielder for the Toronto Blue
Jays, was 20/30 when he went for an eye exam. Five days later, he
was under the beam. He came out 20/15.
Some athletes think they would benefit from this treatment but turn
out not to need it: According to the Orange County Register, Gary
Sheffield, then an outfielder for the Los Angeles Dodgers, had
eyesight better than 20/20 when he asked for laser surgery to raise
his batting average. His doctor talked him out of it. Why risk
surgery for such small increments? "Every little half-centimeter
counts," Cruz told the Star.
Last year, the Seattle Times reported that Troy Glaus, a power
hitter for the Anaheim Angels, had gotten LASIK because he "felt his
contacts were sufficient, just not always ideal. A windy day or a
wave of dust could tip the advantage back to the pitcher."
Often, coaches play a role.The Minnesota Twins training staff
successfully encouraged several players to get LASIK. Maddux told
the Atlanta Journal and Constitution that the Braves gave him "a
little push" to get LASIK.
Football:
NFL players Troy Aikman, Ray Buchanan, Tiki Barber, Wayne Chrebet,
and Danny Kanell have publicly acknowledged having LASIK. These are
just some of the athletes who have disclosed their results in the
last five years. Nobody knows how many others have gotten the same
result. One laser specialist who serves as a team physician for the
Oakland Raiders has privately mentioned performing LASIK on over 100
NFL players.
Basketball:
NBA stars Amare Stoudemire and Rip Hamilton have done it, along with
former LA Lakers Rick Fox and Kurt Rambis among dozens of others.
Martial Arts and Boxing:
Contact sports are perhaps one of the areas where there is some
controversy among professionals regarding this type of care. There
are professional differences of opinion regarding appropriateness of
LASIK in pro boxers and those who participate in martial arts at a
competitive level. Some surgeons feel better about recommending PRK
or other forms of surface treatment, while others are comfortable
supporting interest in LASIK.
