American LASIK Pioneer Dies

The June 16 death of Dr. Thomas J. Pangia, a Florida ophthalmologist who died at home at the age of 67 after a battle with cancer, was not widely reported. Yet millions of Americans benefitted from a trip Pangia and several other ophthalmologists took to Russia in 1980 to learn about an innovative surgery known as radial keratotomy.

Pangia and the others were not only the first United States ophthalmologists to learn about the technique that would eventually become LASIK, but were the first to champion its benefits as an effective way to treat myopia (nearsightedness), hyperopia (farsightedness) and astigmatism in America.

The first FDA trials of the excimer laser used in LASIK procedures finally began in 1989, and LASIK grew in availability and popularity throughout the 1990s thanks to evolving technology and surgical techniques. Today, tens of thousands of people undergo LASIK annually, and the procedure enjoys a success rate of more than 95 percent.

Dr. Pangia was born in 1944 in Brooklyn, NY, and attended medical school at the University of Rome in Italy. He completed a medical internship at the renowned Brooklyn Eye and Ear Hospital, and later opened his own practice in Palm Beach, Fla., in 1976.

He continued working in the field of vision correction until his retirement in 2009. Dr. Pangia had continued to serve on the Palm Beach Medical Society board and volunteer with the Sari Asher Center for Integrated Cancer Care.

He is survived by his wife, Isabelle, and two children.

To learn more about LASIK or to find an ophthalmologist near you, please contact The LASIK Directory.

LASIK for Athletes

If you are an athlete—be it professional, intramural, little league, or weekends at the park—there’s no doubt that you’d rather be focused on your game than on your vision troubles. Many athletes have chosen LASIK to improve their performance, but before you decide to go under the laser beam, it is important to be informed about the procedure.

Recovery Time

Though you may notice improved vision almost as soon as you leave the doctor’s office, it takes time to recover from LASIK just as it does for any other surgery. You’ll be able to complete everyday activities like driving, reading, and cooking as soon as the day after your surgery, but if you’re an athlete, it is imperative to wait at least two weeks before getting back to strenuous physical activity so you don’t irritate your eyes or disrupt the healing process.

It might be tough to take time off from your fitness routine, but the health of your eyes is well worth the wait. To make sure your surgery doesn’t interfere with your game, schedule the procedure during your off-season or down time.

Risk of Infection

As an athlete, you are exposed to more dirt, grime, and motion than the average couch potato. Everyone has thousands of bacteria that inhabit their eyelashes and the skin around their eyes, but athletes have a greater chance of getting dirt or sweat in their eyes, which can sweep in bacteria and cause an infection.

Again, it is important to take enough time for your eyes to heal before you hit the field. Your ophthalmologist will monitor your recovery and clear you for increased physical activity as you heal.

LASIK Alternatives

For some athletes, especially those who engage in combat sports like boxing and martial arts or impact sports such as football and hockey, LASIK may not be the best option because the small flap created in the cornea during surgery can later become detached with physical trauma.

If you love throwing punches, you may want to consider PRK, an equally effective laser eye surgery that works only on the surface of the cornea, providing clear vision without creating a flap on the surface of your eye. PRK requires a slightly longer recovery time, but afterward you’ll be able to break boards with your head without worrying about damaging your eyes. Brain damage is another matter, however.

To learn more about LASIK treatment options and to find an experienced ophthalmologist in your area, please contact The LASIK Directory today.

Wade Latest Pro Athlete to Undergo LASIK

The fundamental benefits of LASIK—clear vision without the use of glasses or contacts—can be especially valuable to those with physically demanding professions or lifestyles. Last week, Miami Heat guard Dwyane Wade became the latest in a long line of pro athletes to undergo LASIK in an attempt to rid himself of the necessity of wearing corrective lenses on the field of play.

Wade, who has been wearing glasses and contacts for years, decided to schedule his LASIK procedure after his girlfriend, actress Gabrielle Union, had a successful LASIK surgery last year. In a July 16 post on Miami’s Haute Living website, Wade was already praising the procedure just days after surgery.

“It’s actually an amazing experience and nothing to be scared of,” said the six-time NBA All-Star. “My eyes are getting a lot better by the minute. … The result is awesome.”

Although some athletes prefer glasses or contacts—fellow All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire is currently the NBA’s most famous glasses-wearer—many find there are a number of factors that can impede their ability to see clearly even with corrective eyewear, including:

• Continuous movement
• Impact
• Sweat
• Dirt
• Wind

The growing list of athletes who have undergone LASIK represents a wide range of sports:

• A.J. Burnett (baseball)
• Amy Van Dyken (swimming)
• Bobby Rahal (auto racing)
• Lebron James (basketball)
• Robert Luongo (hockey)
• Tiger Woods (golf)
• Tiki Barber (football)

Obviously, the benefits of LASIK aren’t limited to those who play sports for a living. An examination with an experienced ophthalmologist can determine if LASIK is your best option for achieving clear vision without the use of glasses or contacts.

If you would like to learn more about LASIK or locate an ophthalmologist near you, please contact The LASIK Directory.

All-Star Catcher Takes Rare Second Swing at LASIK

“Baseball fans are junkies, and their heroin is the statistic.”—Robert S. Weider, In Praise of the Second Season

“Statistics are about as interesting as first base coaches.”—Former Major League Baseball pitcher Jim Bouton

Statistically speaking, LASIK is among the safest and most effective elective surgeries. Most studies report that at least 95 percent of LASIK patients achieve 20/20 vision or better following surgery, and even more reach at least 20/40 vision.

But statistics alone don’t tell us everything, and not even a procedure as numerically successful as LASIK comes with a guarantee of clear vision. Just ask Atlanta Braves catcher Brian McCann.

Following the 2007 season, the six-time All-Star underwent LASIK to correct blurry vision in his left eye thought to be caused by astigmatism. Although McCann initially reported improved vision after healing, the blurred vision soon returned and was accompanied by chronic dry eyes.

Over the ensuing two years, doctors prescribed an array of contacts, custom-made eyeglasses, and prescription eye drops to no avail. Finally, after consulting with his initial laser vision correction surgeon, McCann decided to try LASIK enhancement.

Following this revision surgery, McCann also made substantial dietary changes, including drinking more water and quitting caffeine. The results, according to McCann in an MLB.com article, are “like day and night.”

Already an All-Star for each of his full Major League seasons, McCann is currently batting over .300 for his second-best career average and is among the National League leaders in slugging at over .540 and runs batted in with 50. Numbers almost as impressive as LASIK’s.

Of course, whether that data means anything just depends on your stance on statistics. Jim Bouton didn’t experience vision problems in his day; his 62-63 record may be attributed to other causes.

“You see,” he writes in his memoir Ball Four, “you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time.”

If you would like to learn more about LASIK or locate an ophthalmologist near you, please contact The LASIK Directory.