TIGER WOODS' LASIK
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Eight years after LASIK, Tiger Woods says, "My vision started slipping".
Learn the facts about Tiger Woods' LASIK surgery and the shocking details about Tiger Woods' LASIK surgeon, Dr. Mark Whitten, and TLC Laser Eye Centers.
Tiger Woods admits to having night vision problems after LASIK - 5/29/2017
During his arrest on suspicion of DUI, the officer asks Tiger Woods, "Do you wear glasses?"
Tiger answers, "In low light, yes".
Incidentally, the Associated Press reported on 8/16/2017, "Tiger Woods had the active ingredient for marijuana, two painkillers and two sleep drugs in his system when he was arrested on a D.U.I. charge earlier this year, according to a report released Tuesday by the police."
Tiger Woods arrested on suspicion of DUI - 5/29/2017
From the article: Tiger Woods was found asleep at the wheel the morning of his arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, police records show.
Jupiter, Florida, police discovered Woods early Monday on the side of the road, with his 2015 Mercedes-Benz running, its brake lights illuminated and right turn signal flashing, according to the arrest report released Tuesday. Read article
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Tiger Woods' Lasik Doc, Mark Whitten, Ordered to Pay Patient $1 Million - FoxNews.com 1/13/2011
From the article: An eye doctor who touts corrective surgery he performed on golf star Tiger Woods has been ordered to pay a Westmoreland County man more than $1 million for a 2001 procedure that left the patient with blurry or double vision in one eye...
Federal lawsuit targets TLC LASIK Centers for poor screening, seeks class action status - Business Week 3/18/2010
From the article: A federal lawsuit filed Wednesday in South Carolina accuses eye clinics across the country of performing surgeries on patients with pre-existing conditions that should have excluded them as candidates, causing those patients to suffer post-operative problems... "All actions by the Defendants were designed to hide the patients' true condition and to manage the patients' expectations until that patient no longer posed a risk to the Defendants' assets," the attorneys wrote. In that database, Hollman's lawyers say they have found nearly 200 other TLC patients who have experienced problems similar to those of their client... In all, Hollman is seeking up to $180 million in damages...
Read article; Read lawsuit. Watch video:
Read LASIK Racketeers
TLC Execs Castigate TLC Co-founder, Dr. Jeffrey Machat, in Retaliation for Testimony in Favor of Plantiff in LASIK Malpractice Lawsuit
A jury awarded a damaged LASIK patient $4 million based, in large part, on testimony of TLC's co-founder, Dr. Jeff Machat. In retaliation for the precedent setting jury decision, the LASIK medical-industrial complex launched an assault on Dr. Machat, leading to his fall from world-wide prominence in the LASIK industry. Dr. Machat later recanted his testimony. The following article was published in EyeWorld, the newsmagazine of the American Society of Cataract & Refractive Surgery (ASCRS).
From the article: Schmidt also asked Machat if he had been subjected to verbal abuse by colleagues following the verdict, hinting that this might have influenced his change of testimony... "I have many colleagues who are very upset with me," Machat said... "I have corporate members who are upset with me..." "Have you been cursed?" Schmidt asked. "Yes." "Verbally assaulted - at the [ASCRS] conference, for example?" "Yes." "As a result of this, have you been asked to resign from the advisory board of TLC?" "Yes." Earlier in his testimony, Machat described a meeting with the TLC attorney, CEO and medical director following the trial and jury verdict.
Source: Marilyn Haddrill. Defense lawyer asks for new trial in $4 million LASIK verdict. EyeWorld, November 2002.
TLC Laser Eye Centers' spokesman, Tiger Woods says, "I never thought about who I was hurting." 2/19/2010
Opinion Editorial: We have a message for Tiger Woods -- Tiger, have you ever thought about the people who suffered life-altering complications after being influenced by you to have LASIK? Do you know, or care, how many lives have been wrecked by LASIK? As if losing one's clear, correctable vision isn't bad enough, the ripple effect of a bad LASIK outcome can be staggering. It affects families -- parents, spouses, siblings, children. It may result in loss of career and diminished enjoyment of life. It can lead to disability, depression, and even suicide. We would say "we don't know how you sleep at night" but that doesn't seem to be a problem for you. We hope you turn your life around and find redemption.
Tiger Woods crashes vehicle at night - CNN.com 11/27/2008
From the article: Woods pulled out of his driveway in a 2009 Cadillac SUV and struck a fire hydrant, then a tree, according to an incident report from the Florida highway patrol in Orange County... Woods' wife, Elin Nordegren, told the police she was inside the house when she heard the accident. She said she went outside and used a golf club to break out the rear window of the vehicle, then pulled him from the SUV. Read article
Opinion Editorial on Tiger Woods' auto accident: What role, if any, did Tiger Woods' night vision play in the accident that occured in the middle of the night on 11/27/2009? It is reported that conventional LASIK causes a reduction in night driving performance: "After conventional LASIK, 34% of patients had a decrease in target detection (targets included business signs, traffic signs, [FIRE HYDRANTS] and pedestrians)... On average, the higher the myopia, the worse the night driving performance." (read article) TLC Laser Eye Centers reports that "Tiger was a -11 prior to his LASIK surgery, which is in the worst one percent of those with nearsightedness." (link)
It's unclear how the auto accident and ensuing scandal involving extramarital affairs will affect Tiger Woods' professional golf career, celebrity status, and endorsement deals. As of this writing, TLC Laser Eye Centers appears to be standing by their man (read article).
Golfer Jesper Parnevik criticizes Tiger Woods, says he thought Woods was a "better guy", feels sorry for Tiger Woods' wife and would like to apologize to her, and hopes Tiger Woods' wife uses a driver next time instead of a 3-iron.
LASIK and Professional Golf
It is widely known that Tiger Woods had LASIK eye surgery to correct his vision. It is likely that Tiger Woods' endorsement of LASIK at TLC Laser Eye Centers influenced thousands of people to undergo the surgery. Of those who were influenced by Tiger Woods to have LASIK, some undoubtedly suffered adverse effects of the surgery.
Not so widely known is the fact that in May 2007, USA Today quoted Tiger Woods as saying, "My vision started slipping". The article states that Tiger had a re-operation after the 2007 Masters tournament. Golf.com also reported "Woods has second laser eye surgery".
Editors note: We're not surprised that Tiger Woods' vision regressed. Medical studies demonstrate that visual outcomes of LASIK don't last. "These results show that although refractive results after LASIK are relatively good in the short term, they tend to decline over time." ~ Zalentein et al, 2009
Several professional golfers have reportedly experienced complications such as night vision problems, chronic dry eyes, or deteriorating vision after LASIK including Kenny Perry, Retief Goosen, Kevin Na, Paul Stankowski, Ian Leggatt, Vijay Singh, John Jacobs, Paul Parajeckas, Peter Lonard, Padraig Harrington, and Scott Hoch. It would be interesting to know how many golfers who experienced problems after LASIK were influenced by Tiger Woods to have the surgery.
Tiger Woods Mistress Commemorative Plate Collection
Tiger Woods's surgeon, Dr. Mark Whitten of TLC Laser Eye Centers
In November, 2008, Tiger Woods' surgeon, Dr. Mark E. Whitten, was ordered by a jury to pay $850,000 in a LASIK malpractice lawsuit brought by a patient who claims permanent eye damage as a result of LASIK. Read more on News.
Read how LASIK surgery performed by Tiger Woods' surgeon, Mark Whitten, turned out to be a LASIK disaster for a young woman with large pupils. View lawsuit and article.
Click here to read about a LASIK malpractice lawsuit filed in August 2009 against Tiger Woods' surgeon, Mark Whitten, by a patient who is now blind in one eye.
It appears that TLC Rockville where Tiger Woods' surgeon, Mark Whitten, performs LASIK received an FDA warning letter in October 2009 (read warning letter).
Gatorade dumps Tiger Woods - Los Angeles Times 2/26/2010
From the article: On Friday, Gatorade said it was ending its sponsorship relationship with Woods. The announcement comes a week after the world's top-ranked golfer surfaced briefly to give a televised apology. In a statement issued by Gatorade spokeswoman Jennifer Schmit, the company announced, "We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship.
Ill-timed borrowing began TLC's descent into bankruptcy - St. Louis Post-Dispatch 1/8/2010
From the article: Although its celebrity spokesman made TLC Vision the butt of a Jay Leno joke this week, Tiger Woods is the least of TLC's worries right now... All joking aside, TLC's fate was sealed long before its pitchman started attracting unwanted headlines... The recession hit TLC and its competitors hard, cutting surgery volume in half.
Misreading the Green: Study of Tiger's Toll Misses - The Wall Street Journal 1/7/2010
From the article: Several Woods sponsors questioned the notion that one spokesman's scandal could affect their share price. "Tiger Woods played no role in our company's stock price," a spokesman for TLC Vision Corp. wrote in an email. "Our stock had been under pressure for many months." The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection two weeks ago.
TLC Vision, Tiger Woods Sponsor, Files for Bankruptcy - Bloomberg 12/21/2009
From the article: TLC Vision Corp., the eye-care services company that sponsors golfer Tiger Woods, sought bankruptcy protection to restructure its debt... “Our relationship with Tiger Woods continues without change,” Stephen Phillips, an outside spokesman for TLC at Fleishman Hillard, said in an e-mail... TLC Vision operates laser vision-correction centers in the U.S. and Canada. No other affiliates including TLC Laser Eye Centers are involved in the filing.
TLC gets Nasdaq delisting notice - St. Louis Business Journal 12/17/2009
From the article: TLC Vision Corp. said Thursday it received notice from the Nasdaq Stock Market notifying the company that its common stock will be delisted from the Nasdaq Global Market... Unless the company requests an appeal, trading of its common stock will be suspended at the opening of business Dec. 28.
Source: Elin Nordegren Plans Split from Tiger Woods - People 12/16/2009
From the article: The holidays may bring a final showdown in the marriage of Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren, a source close to the golfer's wife tells PEOPLE, saying, "She plans to leave Tiger." Another source says, "She's made up her mind. There's nothing to think about: he's never going to change," PEOPLE reports in its upcoming issue, on newsstands Friday.
A doctor who has treated Tiger Woods named in doping probe - myfoxboston.com 12/15/2009
From the article: He's admitted to infidelity and now Tiger Woods may have to fend off accusations of drug use. A Canadian doctor, who has treated Tiger Woods, is accused of providing top athletes with performance enhancing drugs.
Woods' sponsorship deals, credibility taking a big hit - USA Today 12/14/2009
From the article: Woods' sponsors have not run a single paid TV commercial featuring their star endorser since Nov. 29, according to Nielsen IAG. But Woods is still out there pitching for TLC Laser Eye Centers. Consumers who clicked on the TLC website Monday could still hear a recorded voice-message from Woods extolling the results of his LASIK eye surgery. "Hi, this is Tiger Woods. For years, I played golf with an invisible handicap. Invisible to everyone but me," says Woods. Hopefully for Team Tiger, that won't be his epitaph on Madison Avenue.
TLC Vision to keep Tiger Woods as spokesman - St. Louis Business Journal 12/2/2009
From the article: The world’s top golfer has appeared in radio and print ads for TLC Vision since 2000, said James Hyland, vice president of investor relations and corporate communications. “Tiger Woods is important to TLC Vision,” he said. “Our relationship with him continues without change. This is a private matter and we have no further comment.” Hyland declined to disclose the dollar amount of the company’s contract with Woods.
TLC gets Toronto Stock Exchange warning - St. Louis Business Journal 11/30/2009
From the article: TLC Vision Corp. has been warned by the Toronto Stock Exchange that based on the company’s financial condition the stock exchange is reviewing the eligibility for continued listing. The eye-care and refractive surgery company said Monday it has 30 days to comply with the requirements for continued listing.
TLC Laser Eye Center 3rd Quarter Loss Widens - St. Louis Business Journal 11/17/2009
From the article: TLC Vision Corp. saw its net loss widen to $10.04 million in the third quarter, on sales that fell 10 percent to $51.63 million from last year’s quarter. The company said it sold its interests in several ambulatory surgery centers and cut costs as it continues discussions with lenders to restructure its debt... TLC said that in the third quarter, it divested one majority-owned ambulatory surgical center, in Phoenix, and two minority-owned ambulatory surgical centers, for a combined net sale price of $2.2 million. TLC said that in the first nine months this year, it closed four majority-owned refractive centers... TLC said it’s also in discussions with “certain third parties” regarding the sale of certain non-core assets.
FDA issues warning letters to TLC Vision and LasikPlus clinics - Reuters 10/15/2009
From the article: More than a dozen LASIK eye centers have poor systems in place to report any side effects in patients who have undergone the vision correction surgery, U.S. health regulators said on Thursday...Warning letters were sent to the clinics, including some TLC Vision Corp and LCA Vision Inc centers.
TLC Vision’s stock falls out of Nasdaq compliance - St. Louis Business Journal 9/22/2009
From the article: TLC Vision Corp.’s common stock has fallen below the minimum market value of $15 million and minimum bid price of $1, prompting a warning letter from Nasdaq... Nasdaq said the company has until Dec. 15 to comply with the $15 million requirement and until March 15 to regain compliance with the minimum bid price of a $1 rule... If not, Nasdaq will delist the company.
Will TLC Laser Eye Centers Survive to Honor its "Lifetime Commitment"? - Lasik New Wire 9/24/2008
From the article: TLC continues to advertise its "lifetime commitment" to patient follow-up care, yet the company's financial picture is grim, and it is uncertain how long TLC will be able to keep its doors open... TLC's past success is due, at least in part, to the endorsement of the world's most famous golfer, Tiger Woods. However, like many LASIK patients, Woods found that LASIK surgery results don't always last.
Tiger Woods, “My vision started slipping” - USA Today 5/15/2007
In May, 2007, USA Today quoted Tiger Woods as saying, "My vision started slipping". The article states that Tiger had a re-operation after the 2007 Masters tournament.
Golfer who survived heart surgery and stroke says LASIK ruined his life
"Despite having good vision, I was induced to have lasik surgery to strengthen my distance vision for athletics - softball, golf, refereeing-. I was told i would have to wear "cheaters" to read. After the surgery my distance vision was improved, but it was difficult to read event with cheaters. After complaining I was told I was a good candidate for enhancement surgery-ck-. I was given contacts that they said would stimulate what vision would be like after enhancement. Both my distance and near vision were excellent with the contacts so I agreed to the enhancement. In the meantime, however, I had to have an aortic valve replacement. During this surgery, a clot went to my brain causing a stroke. I recovered from both the replacement and the stroke and was able to see except for peripheral vision to the left. I was given the ck enhancement with a resultant blurriness in both my distance and near vision. Now, a year after the enhancement and a huge expenditure and multiple pairs of glasses, I can only focus on images that are about 20 feet away. My life is ruined. I have always been very active physically but now can only shoot baskets in my driveway. I was a 3-handicapper in golf and can no longer break 100 and have to play with a spotter. I can only type and read with computer font magnification. It's like living behind a muddy windshield. Since I can see about 20 feet, the constant eye tests are a joke. In effect, i'm 20/20 blind. I need 20' golf tees, a step ladder and two caddies."