Babe Ruth set slugging records with a lazy eye. Had there been a surgery to correct it, no telling what stratosphere the Bambino may have reached.

Unlike steroids or human growth hormone, Lasik eye surgery – a procedure that uses lasers to correct common vision problems – isn’t banned from sports for unnaturally boosting physical ability. So even athletes at the top of their games, from LeBron James and Tiger Woods to sure Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux, have gone under the laser.

In fact, Woods and Cleveland Indians shortstop Jhonny Peralta, who had Lasik done before the 2007 season, are ad pitchmen for the companies that tweaked their vision. James said he sees the rim and net much clearer. Peralta said he finds it easier to pick up the spin on breaking balls.

Former Cleveland Cavaliers forward Ira Newble said he had the corrective surgery done his first year in the NBA with San Antonio because he fumbled with contact lenses and suffered headaches from eye strain. All it cost him, he said, was a signed jersey and photograph for the doctor.

“I’m sure it’s affected my depth perception,” he said after practice earlier this season. “It stopped the headaches, the strain.”

Lasik offers athletes the potential to upgrade with a relatively simple, painless procedure. But Dr. James Conforto, the Indians team ophthalmologist, said most team doctors still prefer players have their vision corrected with contacts or glasses.

Peralta said last fall that he had tried contacts but struggled with them because his eyes are small. The team’s medical staff suggested a Lasik consultation.

“We’re very timid, very reluctant, frankly, to recommend the procedure to these elite athletes,” Conforto said. “Jhonny was one of those rare situations.”

Any surgery is inherently risky. About 5 percent of laser eye surgeries result in complications, such as dry eyes, glare or seeing halos – rings around lights.

One slip of the laser and an athlete’s multimillion-dollar career could crash-land.

Cleveland sports agent Mark Termini was unaware of special insurance policies that cover players for Lasik. But he predicted that once the first star can’t perform because of surgery, a team will question whether it must fulfill the player’s contract.

Asked whether he was Lasik-insured, James said, grinning, “Oh, I’m taken care of.”