Athletes And LASIK: Can LASIK Really Improve My Performance?

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Posted by: Missouri Eye Institute in Blog on July 24, 2018

It’s no secret athletes can benefit from LASIK eye surgery. Athletes need good depth perception, peripheral vision, and hand-eye coordination when playing their sport.

LASIK is a popular procedure. Approximately 596,000 LASIK surgeries were performed in the U.S. in 2015.

LASIK eye surgery may not turn you into an Olympic champion, but it can make a positive difference in your performance.

How Can LASIK Improve My Performance On The Field?
Prescription eyewear can improve your direct line of vision, but it doesn’t correct your peripheral vision. And contact lenses can dry out and cause blurriness when you’re on the field.

Vision correction options like LASIK eye surgery maximize your potential to have fun on the field, court, or rink. By improving your eyesight as much as possible you can improve your performance in the more complex functions of your sport.

Here are some of those complex functions you can take advantage of with LASIK eye surgery:

• Peripheral vision
  Peripheral vision is what lets you see an object or opponent when they’re outside of your direct line of vision.
• Focus
  The direct focus of the human eye is only about the length of your arm, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for a reaction if you’re unable to see.
• Eye movement
  Different eye movements allow you to scan your field of vision (saccadic), focus at different distances (vergence), follow slow movement (smooth pursuit) and keep balance (vestibulo-ocular).

Which Athletes Can Benefit The Most From LASIK?
All athletes (and those who aren’t athletes) can benefit from LASIK eye surgery. But certain athletes, in particular, may find LASIK to be more beneficial to their game.

The following are some of the most common sports where LASIK can be helpful to its players:

• Softball/baseball
• Soccer
• Lacrosse
• Tennis
• Hockey
• Running/Track and Field
• Basketball
• Martial arts
• Football

Certain sports, such as bowling and golf, may not require as much eye movement and use of peripheral vision. Athletes are able to use their direct line of vision to get the ball where it needs to go. But other sports, especially contact sports, require all aspects of one’s vision to be at its peak performance.

If you’re considering vision correction options, LASIK eye surgery may be a great choice for you. To learn more about LASIK eye surgery benefits and other vision correction options, contact Missouri Eye Institute today.