VIERA, Fla. — As Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos sat at a table in the clubhouse, eating breakfast Sunday morning, Aaron Barrett walked by and held up his pinky, ring, and middle fingers.
“I’m wishing (it helps with) everything,” Ramos said. ” … Right now I can see the difference. It will probably help me behind the plate, and in front of the plate as well.”
Two years ago, Ramos began having some vision trouble, which he corrected with contact lenses. They worked, but Ramos found putting them in and taking them out troublesome. When he underwent his annual physical, the doctor suggested Lasik.
“I was a little bit scared to make that decision,” Ramos said. “Especially before spring training … but he told me that was a good surgery, quick surgery, and I would not lose too many days. So I make the decision, and finally everything is going well, and I can see the difference right now. It’s pretty impressive.”
Ramos said he didn’t notice his eyes bothering him very much over the past two years — nothing egregious at the plate or behind it — but that the numbers on the scoreboard sometimes blurred and other little things like that.
“Not any problem to see the ball,” said Ramos, who then smiled. “That’s what I think, I don’t know now. Hopefully I can see the ball better. But it’s good. Feels great right now. Lot of drops, but that’s part of the process. But it feels amazing.”
Ramos motioned to the bulletin board on the wall about 30 feet away.
“I can read the board now from here,” Ramos said. “Three days ago I can’t. That’s pretty impressive. I like it.”