WORLD CHAMPION HAS HER EYES SET ON SUCCESS.

AuthorMitchell, Libby

Olympic and Paralympic athletes have to be at the top of their abilities when it comes time to compete. University of Utah Health is dedicated to treating these athletes as part of the National Medical Network for the United States Olympic Committee both at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and during training. At the games doctors like Christopher Gee, MD, will be treating athletes as they prepare to compete. Here at home a network of doctors is ready to help athletes with an array of issues. Athletes like Oksana Masters.

MASTERS HAS OVERCOME MUCH TO ACHIEVE HER GOAL OF BEING A BIATHLETE AND PARALYMPIC MEDALIST. BORN WITH DAMAGE TO HER LEGS SUSPECTED TO BE CAUSED BY IN-UTERO RADIATION POISONING, SHE IS A DOUBLE LEG AMPUTEE WHO HAS UNDERGONE MORE THAN 20 SURGERIES IN HER 28 YEARS. STILL, ONE THING WAS GETTING IN HER WAY OUT ON THE COURSE: CONTACT LENSES SHE WORE TO CORRECT HER NEARSIGHTEDNESS.

To compete, Oksana is strapped into a carbon fiber sit-ski custom molded to fit her body. Straps lock her waist down, so when she skis, she's really solid and can turn the sled around corners. When Oksana skis hard in the blistering cold to the rifle range, she falls to her side--still strapped to her sled--lies on her belly with the sit-ski up in the air, sights her rifle, and shoots.

"We race in Siberia and Northern Finland, some of the coldest places on the planet," explained John Farra, Oksana's U.S. Paralympics Nordic Skiing coach. "But because her contact would fog up and slide around, she lost critical seconds trying to adjust them to see her target 10 meters away."

Luckily for Masters, Moran Eye Center is part of University of Utah Health. The Center offers LASIK (laser in-situ keratomileusis) surgery--a technique that precisely reshapes the cornea, treating nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism. As a result, many patients find their vision restored up to, or better, than 20/20.

"Oksana is a very strong, powerful, gifted, athlete--tough as nails--her vision is a piece ofthat puzzle. You can imagine being one of the best skiers--you can beat everybody on the course, but if you can't hit your shots, you're not going to be on the podium," said Farra. "LASIK was an...

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