Pro athletes call eye surgery a saviour

Twenty years ago, religion seemed to be sweeping professional sports. One could hardly turn on a television without hearing a wide receiver - perhaps a tad presumptuously -- thanking God for placing the football in his hands, or smiling on his efforts during a wildcard match.

The new century may offer a more secular brand of athlete, but a recent tide of sports stars proclaiming the benefits of laser eye surgery show that their faith in new miracles lives on. Modern ophthalmology, it seems, has taken the place of Christianity and Islam in their universe. Even before Tiger Woods thanked eye surgery for his masterful comeback last month at the Pebble Beach PGA tournament ("The hole is bigger, the ball is bigger" he would muse in tones of revelation), the trickle of athletes heading for laser clinics was turning to a flood. No less than eight marquee professional golfers have taken pause from their schedules in recent months to undergo what clinicians call the "flap-n-zap" wherein the surgeon peels back tissue from the surface of the eye-ball, then incises the cornea with a computer-guided laser.

After reshaping the cornea to properly regulate the flow of light, the doctor then lets the skin settle back onto the eyeball, completing the procedure in about 15 minutes. It sounds about as appealing as chewing tinfoil. But the result can improve a patients' vision to a near-perfect 20-20, not to mention relieving him of the burden of glasses or bothersome contact lenses. More than a few golfers who have had the surgery returned to the links as born-again-athletes, laying up approach shots and nailing putts like they'd received brain transplants from Arnold Palmer.

Tom Kite, Fred Funk, Corey Pavin and Canada's Mike Weir rank among the Professional Golf Association competitors who have had the procedure done and improved their games, while Laura Davies of the Ladies Professional Golf Association has become a walking informercial for the process. Just 24 hours after leaving the laser clinic, Ms. Davies Scored 5-under-par 67 at the Los Angeles women's championship to win the opening round. "I took a chance and it paid off' she said afterwards. "The way I putted and chipped was the best I have in a long time" The gospel has spread to other sports, especially those which demand acute depth perception and precision hitting.

Trot Nixon, a fielder with base-ball's Boston Red Sox ended a long struggle with contact lenses over the summer by having surgery, which corrected his vision to 20-15. He has hit .469 in spring training including three home runs. Jeff Bagwell, erstwhile first basemen of the Houston Astros, arrived at camp this spring marveling at his newfound ability to gauge the pace of thel ball. 'It's amazing," he said. "I don't have to worry about different conditions in different ball parks. My contacts used to dry out on me, and on windy days, the dust gets in your eyes." Count Troy Aikman, the Superbowl-winning quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys, race car driver Bryan Herta, superstar pitcher Greg Maddux among the converts. Wade Boggs, the legendary third baseman who retired last year from the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, is another. As is often the case when pros set an example, amateur athletes are quickly following, shelling out as much as $700 per eye for the non-insured procedure.

David Vaughan, a 19-year-old from Fredericton, had laser surgery just seven weeks before he competed in the world junior snowboarding championship in France. He wound up winning all nine of the races he entered and claimed the overall title at the competition. "It's really reassuring when you see people like Tiger Woods and Laura Davies getting the surgery" he said. "If they're taking the chance then it must be worth it:'

So should sports fans brade for a new generation of visually impaired athletes, who have previously been locked out of the winner's circle? Or is laser surgery a kind of fad, like those Band-aid-style nasal strips that were all the rage for about 30 games in the National Hockey League? Hubert Drouin, executive director of the Canadian Ophthalmological Society, says the procedure is becoming standard treatment for a variety of professionals - athletes included. Pilots, heavy equipment operators and truck drivers have begun flocking to the 80 laser facilities across Canada, in no small measure thanks to the influence of sports heroes who have proved its worth. "When a guy like Tiger Woods endorses it, it certainly grabs attention: he explains. "People see him play, and play so well, after he's had it, that's all it takes.'

But even the most deluded dreamers must realize laser surgery only sharpens existing skills. The improved vision can come with minor tradeoffs, doctors note. Dan Bortolotti, a recreational hockey player from Toronto, underwent laser surgery two years ago and now finds the game much easier. Unwilling to endure the irritation of contact lenses, he had grown up playing in glasses ,that slid down his nose, or fogged up when he left the ice. "I used to suck." he says. "Now I still suck. But at least I can see." However, Mr. Bortolotti's eyes are less able to adjust to glare as a result of the surgery, and his night vision has been reduced. These symptoms, along with reduced contrast perception, are not uncommon in laser patients.

Mr. Drouin notes that technology continues to improve and the cost is coming down, meaning more people will likely seek the procedure. "The popularity has raised some issues, but researchers are always looking for new ways to compensate," he says. "The surgery is getting better and better, and in most cases the overall change is beneficial."