Surface ablation is safer for fighter pilots because it avoids creating a permanent structural vulnerability in the eye.

In standard LASIK procedures, a surgeon cuts a thin circular flap into the cornea, which severs vital structures and permanently reduces the eye's overall tensile strength . For a fighter pilot who must endure extreme G-forces, this structural weakness creates a significant risk, as a severe impact to the eye could theoretically dislocate a LASIK flap even years after the initial surgery . Surface ablation techniques, such as Flow3 and SmartSurface, completely eliminate this risk because they are 100% flapless and "no-touch" . By correcting vision directly on the very surface of the eye without making any incisions, the deeper structural layers remain untouched . This allows the cornea to preserve its biomechanical integrity and ensures the eye remains highly stable throughout the pilot's lifetime