Which procedure is suitable for athletes?
People who play sport often end up discussing procedures without a flap, on the reasoning that there is nothing to displace if the eye is struck. That is a reasonable consideration, and it is still assessed against your measurements rather than assumed.
- Subject
- Vision correction
- Topic
- Comparing procedures
- Kind of question
- Which option…
- Procedures
- SMILE, PRK, LASIK
- Last reviewed
- 22 September 2026
In more detail
Protective eyewear during the healing period remains part of the advice regardless of procedure, and your clinic will tell you for how long.
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Where this answer sits
It is one of 483 answers in the vision and eye health knowledge base, filed under Vision correction & laser eye surgery in Comparing procedures . The subject page carries the answers either side of it, and the hub is searchable.
Subjects this question touches
The pages that answer the subject behind the question, rather than the question itself.
- Comparison LASIK vs SMILE
- Comparison LASIK vs PRK
- Comparison SMILE vs PRK
- Comparison SMILE Pro vs LASIK
- Procedure SMILE
This information is for educational purposes and does not replace an examination by a qualified eye-care professional.
General answers cannot tell you what is happening in your own eyes. Only an examination by a qualified ophthalmologist can do that.