Some of the world’s most renowned sportsmen and women are benefiting from a simple medical procedure that is helping them stay at the top of their games.
Rory McIlroy, a four-time major champion and former world champion, is the latest in a growing number of golfers who’ve had laser eye surgery. With the aim of winning more majors this year, the Northern Irish pro-golfer had laser eye surgery at the end of 2015.
Debunking the myths about laser eye surgery with this video
Even though laser eye surgery is one of the most popular and safest procedures that people choose to have, few people—apart from those who’ve had it— know what’s actually involved.
Here’s a short video that debunks the myths about a simple procedure that Rory, Tiger and millions of people across the globe have had. It was recorded live, as laser eye surgery was being performed. In fact, it was actually the first live-streamed laser eye surgery procedure ever conducted.
Live Laser Eye Surgery (Opens in new window)
In the video above, Optical Express’s Chief Medical Director, Dr. Steve Schallhorn, commentates on the journey of the patient, Kevin and explains the different parts of the procedure. Senior Optometrist David Teenan performs the operation.
The entire procedure is complete in less than seven minutes. The results are instant too, as you can see in the video. Patients need to take antiseptic eye drops for a few days afterwards but vision normally settles to 20/20 soon after.
Why sportsmen and women are having laser eye surgery
Rory isn’t the only sportsperson to have improved their vision with laser eye surgery. He joins other professional golfers such as Tiger Woods, Padraig Harrington, Lee Westwood and Retief Goosen who’ve all improved their game by having laser surgery.
So why are so many sportspeople having the procedure?
“Good eye skills are crucial to being a good golfer,” Dr. Schallhorn explains, “Hand-eye coordination, peripheral awareness and depth perception are all dependent on good eye-sight and essential for improving your game.
“From tee to green, golfers use their full range of vision, so being short or long-sighted can dramatically hinder a players’ game. Most golfers that have surgery see the dramatic improvement in their short game and ability to read greens.
“Golfers of all levels, whether they are candidates for laser eye surgery or not, can improve their game by having regular eye tests and ensuring their eyes are in good condition.”
5 things you didn’t know about laser eye surgery
Even if you don’t play sport as regularly as you would like, laser eye surgery still has lots of benefits—most notably the fact it can instantly and painlessly improve your sight.
We hear a lot of myths about laser eye surgery— that it hurts, that it takes a long time, that it doesn’t last etc. They don’t reflect the truth, or the experience that the vast majority of laser eye surgery patients have. With this in mind, here are five facts you probably didn’t know about laser eye surgery:
- It re-shapes the cornea to smooth out imperfections
Laser eye surgery might sound complicated but it’s actually a pretty straightforward procedure. The see-through layer that covers the front of your eye (your cornea) is gently reshaped using state of the art lasers. This improves vision instantly and with the minimum of discomfort.
- Surgery only takes a matter of minutes
As the video shows, the procedure isn’t long at all—it’s actually incredibly quick. The entire procedure lasts no more than a few minutes. It’s also painless. A few patients say they feel slight discomfort when eye holders are put on, but, apart from that, nothing at all.
- Most patients return to work within 24 hours
The recovery time of laser eye surgery is incredibly quick. Most patients feel confident enough to drive and return to work within 24 hours. When you consider the recovery time of many other forms of surgery, this is particularly impressive.
- The most advanced form of laser eye surgery, iDesign, produces a 3D map of your eye as unique as a fingerprint
The revolutionary iDesign technology that Optical Express offers means that our laser eye surgery is some of the most advanced currently available.
iDesign creates a 3D map of your eye which records minute details and imperfections, allowing the lasers to correct to vision with greater accuracy. The laser is so precise that it will stop and correct itself at even the tiniest movement of your eye.
- Both Lasek and Lasik procedures are completely bladeless.
Laser eye surgery is a completely bladeless procedure. This means it’s perfect for people who don’t like the thought of knives and eyes. As you probably guessed from the name, the surgery uses lasers to correct your vision rather than the surgical knives used in standard eye surgery. This allows a higher level of precision, speeds up the healing process and minimises discomfort.
Transform your sight with laser eye surgery today
It’s not just golfers who can benefit from the enhanced vision and freedom that laser eye surgery offers. If you suffer from short-sight, long sight or astigmatism, laser eye surgery can help you.
Find out more about laser eye surgery here, or to book an eye test. Alternatively, you can call us on 0800 023 20 20.