Exceptional athletes, like Olympic competitors, need to have strong vision. Good vision equals good performance. Contacts and glasses can impede an athlete’s ability and prevent them from performing at their best. Just imagine being a speed skater, for example, and having to wear contacts while the icy wind blows in your eyes at 30+ mph. Or imagine being a BMX competitor and getting dirt and grime under your contact lenses during a competition. Even the best equipment can’t stop all dirt, water and glare from affecting an athlete’s sight.
Many Olympic athletes have opted to get LASIK surgery in order to give them a better chance when going for the gold. These Olympians have credited their success to the amazing vision that LASIK has given them. There are many gold medalists in both summer and winter Olympic sports that have gotten LASIK and loved the results.
Summer Olympians
Olympic swimmer Amy Van Dyken has won six gold medals in her career. She is one of the top gold medal winning female U.S. swimmers. She underwent LASIK surgery in 2011.
Brendan Hansen, a three-time gold medalist in swimming, got LASIK in 2009. He won one of his gold medals and a bronze medal in the 2012 Olympics with his improved vision from the laser surgery.
BMX biker Jill Kintner is a bronze medalist in Women’s BMX. Before wowing fans at the 2008 Summer Olympics, she had LASIK that same year. Obviously, it did not slow her down one bit!
Norm Lyduch plays a sport called wheelchair rugby, also known as “Murderball.” He was awarded a free LASIK treatment in New York after sharing his longing for an Olympic gold medal in his sport. He got his LASIK surgery in 2008 and went on to win his gold medal later that year.
Winter Olympians
Lindsay Vonn, considered the most successful female skier in the U.S., got LASIK in 2010. She won a gold medal and a bronze medal at the 2010 Olympics in the Women’s Downhill and Super G, respectively.
Olympic bobsledder Elana Meyers had her LASIK surgery in 2010. She won an Olympic bronze medal in Bobsleigh later that year. Her improved vision helped her to win another medal in Bobsleigh, this time a silver medal, at the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Eleven Olympic speedskaters have undergone LASIK surgery to help improve their sight. The following 9 Olympians had their surgeries in 2013 before competing in the 2014 Olympics:
- Brittany Bowe
- Rebekah Bradford
- Lauren Cholewinski
- Chris Creveling (Silver medalist, 2014)
- Kimberly Derrick (Bronze medalist, 2014)
- Bridie Farrell
- Joey Mantia
- Trevor Marsicano (Silver medalist, 2010)
- Sugar Todd
Two more speedskaters got LASIK prior to 2013:
- Chad Hedrick got LASIK in 2009 (Gold medalist, 2006; silver medalist 2006; silver medalist 2010; bronze medalist, 2006; bronze medalist, 2010)
- Katherine Reutter got LASIK in 2010 (Silver medalist, 2010; bronze medalist, 2010)
See Like an Olympian
Don’t be like Bode Miller, who regretted not getting LASIK before competing in Sochi in 2014. Whether you are an Olympic athlete or a sports hobbyist, LASIK surgery can help you see better. You can have unimpeded vision without worrying about glasses and contacts. You will be confident in your eyesight and your performance capabilities. Schedule your iLASIK consultation at Advanced Eye Medical and get Olympic-worthy vision.