The NRL will not intervene in the decision over whether Darren Lockyer plays in Friday night's preliminary final despite another warning that the Brisbane skipper risked serious injury.

A colleague of the surgeon who operated on Lockyer - who had three titanium plates inserted in his left cheekbone on Sunday - said the retiring playmaker risked blindness playing so soon after surgery.

"There's a risk of a broken Zygoma and risk of operating on a broken Zygoma is blindness," surgeon Dr Caroline Acton told the Nine Network.

"As a surgeon I would be very concerned about, and I know my colleague has as well, giving any recommendation to going back to play for at least month."

The NRL said they would not stop Lockyer from playing, with their only involvement to come in the form of approving any type of special facial protection the champion pivot may use.

"He is acting on medical advice, we're not in the business of second-guessing doctors," an NRL spokesperson said.

"We're talking about professional clubs with fulltime medical people - we're not talking about local footy teams."

Lockyer is expected to train with his Broncos teammates on Tuesday, but while he spoke to the Nine Network on Monday he did not want to appear on camera due to the swelling on his face following surgery.

With the club and Lockyer having been told of the risks associated with playing by Dr John Arvier, who performed the 90 minute operation on Lockyer's cheek at Brisbane's Wesley Private hospital, the Broncos said they would leave the final decision with the player.

"I've played enough footy to know what's right and what's wrong," Lockyer said.

"I'll be carrying the cheekbone into the game - it has got some metal plates in there that will make it stronger."

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