World Champion Luke Littler reveals that he underwent surgery as a child to correct his vision. Looking back, he is glad about the procedure.
On the sidelines of the Darts World Championship, Luke Littler revealed a previously unknown detail from his childhood – one without which his extraordinary career might have turned out very differently.
According to his own statements, the now 18-year-old Englishman underwent an operation as a child, initiated by his parents, to correct his strabismus, a misalignment of the eyes.
Luke Littler underwent eye surgery as a child
Darts World Championship: Littler looks back on operation
When asked if his life would have taken a different course without this procedure, Littler told English media: “Well, who knows? It’s one of those things that obviously had to be fixed. My parents wanted it to be fixed.”
He doesn’t have precise memories of the operation. It took place when he was four or five years old, Littler explained, adding: “When I was younger, I didn’t care, of course. Looking at it now, it was good that it was done back then.”
The darts superstar, who was crowned the youngest PDC World Champion in history at 17, emphasized the importance of eyesight: “Of course, vision is very important. I don’t have many memories of it. But there are pictures my family has hung up.”
On Saturday evening, things get serious again for Littler at Ally Pally. On his way to the targeted title defense, the 18-year-old will meet Austrian Mensur Suljovic in the third round.