Sports and Laser Vision Correction

How Can Athletes Benefit From Laser Vision Correction?

If you are an athlete or simply enjoy living an active lifestyle, you will know how essential good vision is to your performance and enjoyment while on the move. For this reason, it’s no surprise that an increasing number of athletes are opting for laser vision correction to improve their performance and enhance their enjoyment of the sport.

Auckland Eye has treated many thousands of patients, many of whom are athletes and avid sports-lovers that depend on exceptional eyesight. In this article, we discuss some of the sports-related benefits you can expect from laser vision correction which include…

Convenience

Wearing glasses and contact lenses can be inconvenient for anyone, but most especially for athletes. Often glasses get in the way and slide down your nose from sweat, and wearing glasses during a game can be annoying and uncomfortable —it also doesn’t help that they tend to fog up in humid or cold environments! Additionally, it can be hard to keep your head in the game when you are constantly worried about breaking your glasses or getting an eye irritation from contact lenses. These inconveniences can become a huge distraction and can take away from the enjoyment of the game, which is why vision correction devices are the last thing you want on your mind!

After laser vision correction, since you no longer rely on glasses or contact lenses to see clearly, you will be able to enjoy your sport completely worry-free! Furthermore, laser vision correction makes it easier to pursue the active lifestyle you desire, as you will have one less impediment to hitting the slopes or jumping in the pool — you can just go!

Better Vision = Improved Performance

Another perk that comes with laser vision correction and sports is the potential for an improved game. For example, if you play basketball regularly, your ability to see the hoop and gauge your distance accurately all depends on the power and clarity of your vision. Contacts and glasses can help this, of course, but they can also get smudged or fog up easily and distort your vision , or can slip down your nose with every stride you make. Also if you let your prescription lapse, this means that without knowing, wearing glasses or contact lenses could actually end up hindering your vision, which can affect how well you play overall.

After laser vision correction, all of these concerns and annoyances that hold you back from playing at your best are instantly removed, giving you more time to focus on the game or competition. For these reasons, a significant benefit of laser vision is the potential for improved sports performance with crystal clear, surgically-corrected vision.

Adaptability to Extreme Environments

If you participate in sports where you are exposed to inclement weather or environmental elements (like snow, dust, wind or water) it is important to be aware of the potential eye health hazards that come with wearing glasses and contact lenses during these types of activities. If you wear contact lenses in wet or windy environments, your contact lenses could be forced out of your eyes (by a harsh spray of water or particularly strong winds) or you could end up with an infection or a corneal scratch if debris gets stuck under your contact lens. As a result, these events could force you to miss a critical play or cause a serious eye injury, thus taking you away from your sport temporarily.

After laser vision correction, you can compete in any environmental conditions without the fear of an injury or hampered vision. Additionally, laser eye surgery can benefit swimmers and those who enjoy water-based activities (such as water polo, kayaking or scuba diving) tremendously. Having laser eye surgery means that you will be able to finally enjoy the freedom of clear vision without being limited by environmental conditions.

Less Chance of Eye Injuries

Each year, thousands of people visit the emergency room due to sports-related eye injuries. In particular, athletes who play contact sports such as football, boxing or wrestling are at a much higher risk for an injury.

Injuries can arise from wearing both glasses and contact lenses while exercising. Contact lenses can become dislodged after accidentally bumping into another player and sweat or dirt getting can get caught under your contact lenses, causing irritation and discomfort. Despite these risks associated with contact lens use, it is still the safer option compared to wearing glasses. Glasses can easily break from falling off due to sweat or a knock, which means that you at a higher risk of injuring yourself and others from broken glass if you wear glasses during physical activities, especially contact sports.

Since laser vision correction removes your dependency on glasses and contact lenses, it can be an extremely liberating experience to not have to worry about these risks and potential dangers anymore. For this reason, many athletes chose to have laser vision correction to protect their long-term eye health.

Recovery is Quick

While you may have to skip practice and sit on the sidelines during the games for a few days or weeks (depending on the type of laser vision correction you had) following your laser eye surgery procedure, the recovery period is still relatively quick when you consider how your eyesight will rapidly improve.

How Soon Can I Play Sport After Laser Vision Correction Surgery?

• For Smile laser vision correction, you will be able to all your normal sports and physical activities 1 week after the procedure.
• After Lasik, we recommend you avoid swimming for two weeks and contact sports for a month following Lasik.
• For PRK, we recommend that you avoid all swimming and contact sports for 2 weeks following PRK.

Famous Athletes Have Had their Vision Corrected — You Can Too

If you’re considering laser eye surgery you are not alone. Professional athletes including NBA player Lebron James, boxer Mike Tyson and pro-golfer Tiger Woods just a few world-famous athletes who underwent laser eye surgery to up their A-game.  However, even if you do not play sports professionally, laser vision correction can help you pursue the active lifestyle you seek. Furthermore, since outdoor activities like jogging, tramping and camping are made easier when you do not need to worry about the hassles of contact lenses and glasses, laser vision correction can help elevate your adventurous lifestyle.
To find out if you are a suitable candidate for laser eye surgery to eliminate your dependence on glasses and contact lenses, why not book yourself in for your initial comprehensive consultation with the specialised team at Auckland Eye? It’s free! Call 0800 639 393.

Laser Vision Correction Experience Stories From Our Sport-loving Patients

Want to find out more about how laser vision correction can help you to live an active lifestyle or lift your A-game?
Click the links below to read our laser eye surgery patient stories from personal trainer Nick Ashcroft and sports-enthusiast Sophie Elliot:

• Nick:https://www.aucklandeye.co.nz/about/blog/laser-eye-surgery-patient-story—nick-ashcroft/
• Sophie: https://www.aucklandeye.co.nz/about/blog/patient-story-sports-lover-sophie-finds-freedom-in-her-eyesight-after-laser-eye-surgery/