DETROIT – Stephen Nedoroscik became an instant internet sensation when his pommel horse routine helped propel the U.S. men’s gymnastics team to their first Olympic medal in 16 years.
He’s been dubbed the “Clark Kent” of gymnastics due to the way he whips off his thick glasses moments before competing.
We don’t often see elite athletes wearing glasses, which is one reason why so many people have taken note of Stephen’s. He actually has two eye conditions -- one common and one that is quite rare.
A video he posted about his vision has gone viral and has hundreds of thousands of views.
One of those viewers is Dr. Christopher Gappy, a pediatric ophthalmologist at the University of Michigan’s Kellogg Eye Center.
“We see a lot of kids who need to wear glasses or have eye conditions, and to have a role model that they can see and get portrayed and become a hero for this country is great for kids’ confidence,” Gappy said. “Just in the last few days, we’ve brought them up to parents and the kids, and you can see the smile on their faces.”
Stephen’s common condition is called strabismus, which is an eye misalignment. Gappy said it can impact 2-15% of the population and it’s something pediatric ophthalmologists handle frequently.
Stephen’s other condition is called coloboma.
“Coloboma is when you’re missing a part of your eye,” Gappy said. “And it usually happens from birth. It can be something that’s very minor, like a cosmetic defect of your iris, so you could have, like a keyhole pupil, and it means nothing. Or it could be something much more major, where you’re missing a part of the important structure of your eye, like your optic nerve.”
As a result of his conditions, Stephen’s pupils stay dilated all the time and he’s missing a section of his iris, making him very sensitive to light.
“It’s incredible. You know, it’s hard enough to become an Olympian, it’s even harder to medal in a sport and then to be able to do it and overcome any obstacle that you had -- including a medical condition eye problem -- is wonderful,” Gappy said. “And I wish this serves as an inspiration to anybody that’s growing up and feels like they have something holding them back.”
Stephen has said he doesn’t need to see to do the pommel horse, it’s all about feeling where his hands belong. He seems to have a great perspective on everything and apparently thinks all the memes are awesome.