MMA Fighter with Vision Error Cannot Fight in Ohio

According to several news sources, Strikeforce middleweight fighter Derek Brunson will be barred from a March 3 fight because of his vision. The Ohio State Athletic Commission said he could not fight in the state based on the results of a recent eye exam. Brunson said he plans to get LASIK to avoid any future issues.

Brunson has never been told by other states that he cannot fight because of his contact lenses. The Commission has no rules against fighters with contact lenses, but a fighter's uncorrected vision must fall within certain restrictions – no worse than 20/200 in one eye or 20/60 in both eyes, according to USA Today – in case a contact lens is knocked out of the fighter's eye.

LASIK has obvious benefits for an athlete, primarily the benefit of reducing the need to worry about your contacts while you are playing your sport; however, some eye surgeons may speak to an athlete about other refractive procedures, if the athlete is involved in certain sports. Flap displacement and other complications may be slightly more likely to occur while engaging in:

• Mixed martial arts
• Football
• Boxing
• Karate
• Wrestling

In these sports, the risk of eye injury is greater. PRK or another procedure that does not create a corneal flap may be recommended in such situations, especially for professional athletes.

If you are an athlete or just an active person interested in the benefits of LASIK, please contact an experienced eye surgeon in your area to learn more.