Healthy Living

LASIK and Sports: Why Athletes Choose Vision Correction

Sep. 4, 2026

Key Takeaways

  • LASIK for athletes can eliminate the need for glasses or contact lenses during sports and exercise.
  • Most people return to exercise within a day or two after surgery.
  • Better vision can improve confidence, convenience, and reaction time in many sports.
  • Most athletes and physically active people are great candidates for LASIK. Other vision correction procedures, such as PRK, can be a good option for certain contact sports or eye conditions.

You’re lining up your tee shot, but you can’t get a clear view of the ball through your glasses. Or your contact lenses make your eyes feel like cement.

Comfort, convenience, and performance are a few reasons why people living an active lifestyle tend to choose LASIK surgery. The biggest difference? They don’t have to rely on glasses or contact lenses.

Dr. Scott MacRae and Dr. Daniel Savage, who specialize in advanced vision correction care at the University of Rochester Medicine Flaum Eye Institute, see many reasons for the choice.

Why Do Athletes Choose LASIK?

For athletes and physically active people, LASIK can provide a sense of freedom, convenience, and independence during everyday activities.

That can mean:

    • More freedom during sports and exercise: No need to manage glasses or contacts while on the move.
    • Fewer distractions: Less worry about glasses slipping, fogging up, or falling off during activities.
    • Less hassle on the water: LASIK can make swimming, boating, and other water activities easier.
    • Simpler travel: Less to pack, less to forget.
    • Clear vision without lenses

Which Sports Benefit Most from LASIK?

While athletes in all sports can benefit from laser eye surgery, LASIK surgery helps them in different ways.

Endurance Sports

With LASIK, endurance sport athletes don’t have to worry about removing glasses or having them fall off during a race.

Why should you take out contacts before going in the water?

Swimming or hot-tubbing with your contact lenses is unsafe because of the risk of infection. Soft contact lenses act like a porous sponge and can absorb bacteria and parasites found in pool and hot tub water. Contact lenses also can absorb pool chemicals such as chlorine, which can cause dryness, burning, or severe irritation.

During a triathlon, they don’t have to worry about removing their contacts while swimming and then putting them in for the rest of the race.

Running, cycling, and hiking are other endurance sports where LASIK surgery can be especially beneficial.

Water Sports

With LASIK, swimmers don’t need to worry about removing contacts or glasses when in or around water.

Ball Sports

In ball sports, glasses can be bothersome because the frames can block some of your peripheral vision, and there's always the danger of breaking them. LASIK can reduce these risks and help improve performance.

Winter Sports

Activities such as skiing and snowboarding present unique challenges for vision. With laser vision correction, there isn’t the need to worry about prescription goggles fogging up or having contact lenses dry out from the cold air.

Protecting your eyes in general should always be a priority. “We recommend that all patients routinely wear eye protection when participating in racquet sports, regardless of whether they’ve had refractive surgery, to avoid serious internal eye injury,” says Dr. MaCrae.

Is LASIK Safe for Contact Sports?

Contact sports like football, martial arts, wrestling, and boxing present unique challenges and longer recovery timelines due to the greater risk of high-impact injury.

Our experts recommend waiting at least one month after surgery before resuming contact sports. When returning, you should wear eye protection for three months after LASIK.

If you are at high risk for trauma, as some high-impact athletes are, a different type of laser surgery called PRK may be a better alternative. Your provider will work with you to find the best fit for your lifestyle.

Is LASIK Right for Every Athlete?

Every patient’s LASIK journey is unique. While LASIK surgery can help improve an athlete’s vision, it isn’t the right approach for everyone.

When deciding whether LASIK is a good option, your eye doctor will consider:

    • Whether your vision prescription has been stable
    • The size and health of your corneas
    • Your eye health and medical history

What Is Recovery Like Before Returning to Sports?

As with any surgery, recovery is extremely important. There are different time periods for when you can safely resume certain activities.

Time since surgery

General recommendations

First day

  • Get plenty of rest
  • Take the recommended eye drops
  • Avoid rubbing your eyes

First week
  • Return to walking and light workouts
  • Avoid swimming and hot tubs for 10-14 days

One month after surgery
  • Resume most activities, including swimming
  • Follow your doctor’s recommendations, especially for high-contact sports

It’s always best to ask your surgeon about specific milestones for resuming certain activities.

Ready to Learn If LASIK Is Right for You?

Schedule a consultation with the laser vision correction specialists at University of Rochester Medicine Flaum Eye Institute.

Learn more

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Zack Laird