LASIK eye surgery can potentially improve your night vision once you have completely healed. However, it is important to note that there may be some vision issues in dimly lit spaces right after the procedure.

In this blog, we are going to discuss how LASIK improves night vision in the long run and how long you can expect minor disturbances in your night vision after you undergo vision correction treatment.

Does LASIK Affect Night Vision?

LASIK surgery can sometimes have an impact on night vision right after the surgery. But it is important to understand the difference between short-term post-op effects and long-term night vision changes.

While your daytime vision may heal quickly right after your specs removal procedure, temporarily weak night vision may be a possibility. However, this is not a cause for concern - this post-op effect will wear off in a few days to weeks, leaving you with uninterrupted, clear vision in dim light.

Some night vision difficulties may include starbursts, blurriness, halos, or streaks around lights.

Now, when we talk about the long-term impact of LASIK on night vision, it’s safe to say that LASIK can give you enhanced night vision. For most patients, vision correction surgery significantly enhances their ability to see at night or in the dark. You can expect night vision to get better once your eyes have completely healed from surgery.

How Does LASIK Surgery Improve Night Vision Issues?

Night vision problems can be frustrating and even pose serious danger to your safety when they start impacting your driving. So, it’s no wonder many specs-wearers dream of a day they’ll be able to see clearly without the annoying visual disturbances at night.

Thankfully, specs removal has evolved a lot over the years. Gone are the days of conventional LASIK surgery that gave patients clear vision at the cost of other side effects. Modern LASIK/laser surgeries use minimal laser energy and come with significantly less laser time. This results in less (collateral) corneal tissue damage, facilitating crystal clear vision even in dimly lit spaces.

Additionally, along with correcting your refractive errors, modern LASIK technologies, like Wavelight Plus InnovEyes and Contoura Vision, also correct corneal irregularities and higher-order aberrations (via Alcon). This results in a substantial decrease in glare & halo-related vision problems during nighttime driving.

Impact of LASIK on Night Vision After Surgery

As mentioned above, you may potentially experience some night vision issues for a few days after your vision correction surgery. Why does this happen? Temporary night vision issues are usually related to healing, the corneal flap, and mild corneal swelling after surgery. However, as soon as your cornea heals, your night vision problems will disappear.

Vision stabilisation can take a few days or even 1-2 weeks. Each day, you will notice your vision getting slightly sharper and enhanced. Night vision could take a little longer than daytime vision to improve, but rest assured, if you opt for an advanced vision correction treatment like Wavelight Plus InnovEyes, your eyes will thank you (especially when you’re driving at night)!

*Note: If you notice any persistent night vision issues, consult your surgeon at the earliest. Though these symptoms will likely resolve with time, your doctor can monitor your progress and suggest new drops (if required).

At the end of the day, if you receive the right medical guidance and undergo the most suitable procedure - tailored to your unique eyes, you are more likely to experience improved visual outcomes - night or day!