Bata looks beyond with younger eyes

Efren "Bata" Reyes, one of the best pool players in the world, has a literally clearer vision in looking at the coming pro billiards season.

The 51-year-old Reyes, his eyesight restored to better than normal proportions, is enjoying the second wind of his fabled career and is aiming to dominate the pool scene yet again.

The easy-going, good-natured cue master ended last season with a bang, sealing top rank in the United States circuit money race by winning $200,000 in the International 8-ball shootout in Orlando, Florida.

It was a victory that signaled Reyes’ return to the top after months of mediocrity caused by chronic cueing elbow pain and eyesight that deteriorated mainly because of age.

His dry eye symptoms and far-sighted error of refraction and astigmatism were corrected by a short and painless procedure at the American Eye Center.

The Lasik Refractive Surgery, performed by Dr. Jack Arroyo, lasted only a total of 20 minutes and gave the billiards ace "20/15" vision, a line better than the normal "20/20."

Reyes begged off from playing for the Philippines in the Southeast Asian Games last month because he was contemplating on whether or not to go to the US to have his eyes treated.

It was a defect no amount of training could improve and with health concerns now out of the way, "The Magician" sees nothing less than a dominating season yet again.