LASIK and Night Vision
Night vision problems have been reported as common side effects of traditional LASIK. If you have Custom LASIK, they are far less of a problem. That is because of the way your eyes are diagnosed in those two ways of doing LASIK.
Diagnosis for Traditional LASIK
In Traditional (early) LASIK, a phoropter was used, which is how prescriptions are determined for glasses and contact lenses. A phoropter is a floor-standing device with many lenses. You sit looking through its aperture at the vision chart while someone flips between lenses asking you to read the smallest line of letters you can clearly see.
The information thus gathered is used to correct three vision problems:
- Nearsightedness
- Farsightedness
- Astigmatism.
That meant that Traditional LASIK corrected only these three problems, and only to the same extent that glasses or contacts do it. These three problems are known as the Lower Order Aberrations of your eyes.
Diagnosis for Custom LASIK
In Custom LASIK, Wavefront technology is used for a far more accurate diagnosis. Instead of sitting at a phoropter, you sit at a large system which shines a light into each eye. It then measures and records the nature of the light reflected back from your two eyes.
The computer in this system converts this light data into two colored 3D maps showing the microscopic contours of each eye. These maps contain so much information that a more effective treatment can be based on them, correcting not just the Lower Order Aberrations but also the Higher Order Aberrations.
What Are Higher Order Aberrations?
They are mostly night vision problems:
- Halos around lights
- Starbursts (spiky brightness around light sources)
- Ghosting (faint duplicate images)
- Glare
Traditional LASIK improved visual acuity but left your eyes with their existing Higher Order Aberrations. Therefore they were noticed after treatment as defects in your quality of vision, and referred to as side effects.
Custom LASIK improves visual acuity and reduces or eliminates night vision problems as well.
Pupil Size and Traditional LASIK
Part of screening for good LASIK candidates includes measuring pupil size. If your pupils dilate wider than average they are admitting more light into the eye in dim lighting conditions. If you are asking for Traditional LASIK and already have night vision problems, you would not be a good candidate.
If your pupils are not too extremely large, your eye surgeon might be able to do Traditional LASIK safely. He could use a “blend zone”, using Variable Spot Scanning (VSS) technology to create a larger optical zone, effectively reducing these aberrations and decreasing night glare.
A Custom LASIK procedure would be a better option, as it would treat the existing night vision problems.
Help answer the question about lasik night vision
What does the future hold for LASIK eye surgery?
I’m going to school to become a commercial pilot. Obviously my career depends on being able to see 20/20 with or without correction (I’m 20/200 without contacts, slight astigmatism). I’m 30 years now but have considered eye surgery my entire life. (even RK back in the day). Obviously technology has improved by leaps and bounds. When LASIK rolled out I thought how could it get better than this? My best friend is a MD and he told me to hold off for a few years (this was 4-5 years ago) and now we have custom wavefront LASIK. I have had friends who’ve had both done with excellent results. Now with wavefront LASIK advancements, what else is on the horizon??? Are some stellar new techniques currently being developed that will roll out in the next 4-5 years?
My eye doctor is suggesting PRK. Night vision problems could also end my career. I’ve heard there is less chance of reduced night vision (halos /startbursts) with PRK. The NAVY only allows PRK surgery for their pilots.
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At the Laser Eye Center of Silicon Valley in California, you can have Custom LASIK using the best of current Wavefront technology. Dr. Gary Kawesch never compromises on quality. Why not contact experienced LASIK surgeon Dr. Kawesch today and schedule your free consultation?
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7 Responses to “LASIK and Night Vision”
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Alphagan is a glaucoma medication. The halos that medication is talking about is unrelated to yours. Alphagan lowers the pressure in your eye. If people have uncontrolled glaucoma, their eye pressure may increase dramatically and cause halos around lights (headaches and vomiting usually accompany this).
Seeing halos around lights especially at night is the number one complaint of people after undergoing refractive surgery. Unfortunately you have to deal with it. You can have driving glasses made with a really good anti-reflective coating on them, but I realize this probably what you want to do, considering that is why you had the surgery to begin with, to get rid of glasses. Ironic I know.
It was fast. First thing, and this is the only uncomfortable part, the surgeon has to cut a flap into the cornea (the very front part of your eye). Then he folds it back for the surgery, so it can go back into place and heal faster.
I had to stare at a little light. I felt a little something in my eye, but it wasn't the surgeon, it wasn't me. It musta been the laser. It didn't hurt. Especially when I thought that over twenty years of correction was being undone, I was happy.
I heard a few clicks. He had me sit up in the chair, and asked me "what time is it? The clocks on the wall" I looked up, thinking i couldn't ever in my life, since I knew how to tell time, see the clock across the room without my glasses or contacts.
I could see perfectly clear. It was like the machine just put my contacts in. But it didn't. I could really see – perfectly. Well, kinda. The tears made my vision a little blurry for a sec. Yeah I cried because I couldn't believe it. I was brand new like a baby. It was so exciting I gave the surgeon a hug. I could see! For the first time ever. It was like being born.
I had to wear eye patches over both eyes for a couple days. It was awesome to have a break and stay in bed. The doc gave me some drops, and my eyes needed drops a lot.
I would look up at the ceiling and noticed the texture up there for the first time. I could read my clock from across the room. Life just got a lot better.
I'm happy for you. Have a good new life. Enjoy it and make it great, because you can watch it happen now.
If you get CustomVue lasik if actually helps with abberations. However, they might not be totally corrected, but still probably better than what you are experiencing now.
LASIK is a laser based vision correction procedure where your vision can be corrected to such a degree that you no longer need corrective lenses. And the amazing part is that it all happens in just a few minutes!
Think about that – no more glasses or contact lenses. What a relief – never having to hunt for your glasses or fool around with contacts.
But LASIK eye surgery isn't right for everyone. You need to meet certain requirements before submitting to LASIK eye surgery.
Here are a few of the guidelines used in determining if LASIK is a good choice for you -
Lasik surgery: Your blindness is temporary, do not be alarmed – Reno Gazette Journal
Lasik surgery: Your blindness is temporary, do not be alarmedReno Gazette Journal, NV – Oct 10, 2008Several masked, gloved and capped Lasik doctors leaned over me, seemingly fascinated by my impending sightlessness. Over 28 years' worth of hospital visits, …
* You should be over 18 years of age.
* Your corneas must be healthy.
* You should not have had a significant change in your lens prescription in the last 12 months.
* Women should not be pregnant or breastfeeding.
* You should be in good general health.
Hope this helps!
You are right about the side effects. Thats whats stopping me from doing the procedure so far. There are a lot more but the main side effects are halos and dry eyes. I saw some more mentioned here http://lasereyesurgerytruth.com/vision/latest/be-aware-of-these-laser-eye-surgery-complications-2.html
I just had it done on friday (2 days ago), i went back in for my day after exam about 18 hours after surgery, and my vision was already 20/15. I would definitely recommend it. I was very nervous at first, but it's been better than expected thus far. The only "complaint", is that my eyes were sore for about the first hour to 2 hours and it made it difficult for me to take a nap as they recommended. If i had to do it again, i would have taken some nyquil as soon as it was over so i would have slept.
I am extremely happy. WIth the new technology, night halos have actually decreased. That was caused by the creating of the flap with a blade. Make sure you do intralase to create the flap.
I had pretty bad astigmatism and am about 20/20 right now.