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English cricketer Tim Bresnan is set to risk undergoing corrective
laser eye surgery so he can win a place on the upcoming Ashes tour – which is taking place this winter.
The tour, which is taking place in Australia, is the pinnacle of the cricketing calendar, but with less-than-perfect vision, Bresnan is hoping that
corrective laser surgery will boost his game and his chances of being selected.
Speaking to the London Evening Standard, Bresnan said: "I'm supposed to wear contact lenses when I'm playing but I don't."
He added: "I've got quite bad astigmatism, so I don't really get on with contacts.
"I can't wear glasses either for batting or bowling but I've coped quite well with it so far. So if I get the laser treatment, I won't be nicking anything!"
He noted that English wicket keeper Matt Prior has already undergone the procedure and it was something that he has been considering for a while.
"We're looking at doing it at the end of the season, after Pakistan finish their tour on 22 September," he noted.
Professional sportspeople often avoid
corrective laser surgery for as long as possible – usually until after they have retired – because of the potential career-ending side effects associated with the procedure, which can include blurring, haloing and even total vision loss.
A good alternative for competing athletes is the Ortho K overnight corrective lens system, which has many of the benefits of
corrective laser surgery, but none of the permanent side effects.
Ortho K lenses work by gently reshaping a person's eyes while they sleep, correcting vision and doing away with the need for glasses or standard, daily contact lenses.
Because the effects of Ortho K lenses are completely reversible, they pose no permanent threat to a person's vision and since they are worn for shorter periods than normal contact lenses, they reduce the likelihood of eye irritation.
Written by Oliver Edgar
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