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Many top athletes are turning to LASIK vision correction surgery to eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses, and with good reason. For athletes, both eyeglasses and contact lenses can be a problem, despite special lenses and glasses worn in the past to improve an athlete’s vision.

Sports-related eye injuries involving broken glasses are common in hospital emergency rooms, creating a hazard professional athletes would rather avoid. Glasses also slip and slide as the athlete sweats, affecting important training and game plays.

Are contact lenses a better choice? Unfortunately, contact lenses can fall out during play, and sweat, dirt and other airborne irritants can get underneath them and cause infection, great discomfort and diminished vision.

LASIK vision correction surgery is the logical alternative, ending concerns about safety, and allowing the athlete to return to enjoying the game.

Are all Athletes Good Candidates for LASIK?

Athletes must be screened like everybody else for good LASIK candidacy. Those who participate in low risk sports like baseball, basketball, and soccer, where there is less chance of eye trauma, may be good candidates. Athletes involved in aggressive contact sports such as football, or combat sports like boxing, wrestling, and martial arts are at higher risk for eye injury. Therefore they are less likely to qualify for LASIK.
Understanding the LASIK procedure will help to explain why this is so.
Before any laser correction is done, the eye surgeon creates a “flap” on the corneal surface. The laser work is done at a deeper level, and then the flap is replaced. It heals up without any stitches.

An athlete who returns to the game too soon after surgery and suffers an eye injury may reopen the corneal flap. A follow-up procedure would then be necessary to correct any damage.

Even after the flap is fully healed, it can still be damaged by a severe impact such as might happen in the contact and combat sports.

Athletes approved for LASIK will receive specific post-surgical instructions. Sports must be avoided for several weeks. While it may be a struggle to sit on the bench for that time, it will be worth it when you return to the game with far better vision.

For athletes who do not qualify for LASIK, an alternative laser vision correction procedure such as Photo Refractive Keratectomy (PRK) Implantable Contact Lenses (ICLs) or Advanced Surface Ablation may be a good option.

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To find out which vision correction is best for you, schedule a free consultation with San Francisco’s LASIK surgeon Dr. Gary Kawesch at The Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley.