Can LASIK Improve My Night Vision?
The Will Vision & Laser Centers team works with a number of patients that struggle with poor vision at night — specifically, pesky halos and glares around lights. If you experience these challenges, you are probably curious whether LASIK can improve your night vision.
We are happy to tell you that yes; a certain LASIK procedure can help you enjoy better night vision and relief from halos and glares. However, the procedure we are referencing is probably not the traditional LASIK procedure that you are thinking of. Instead, it is an advanced form of LASIK called iLASIK.
Why Traditional LASIK Won’t Improve Night Vision
Traditional LASIK treats simple corneal imperfections called lower order aberrations. These imperfections lead to nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia) and astigmatism.
Poor night vision isn’t caused by simple imperfections of the cornea. It is actually caused by complex corneal imperfections called higher order aberrations (e.g., trefoil, coma, tetrafoil, pentafoil, hexafoil, spherical aberrations). And, traditional LASIK unfortunately does not target these complex aberrations. LASIK will correct the major refractive errors of the eye, but it can leave you with subpar night vision.
Fortunately, iLASIK, a type of wavefront-guided bladeless LASIK, corrects these minute corneal imperfections, for improved night vision.
More about iLASIK
iLASIK uses a wavefront mapping system to develop a highly accurate scan, or “fingerprint,” of your cornea, indicating both lower and higher order aberrations. We use a wavefront analyzer known as the iDesign, which is considered nearly 50 times more accurate than measuring your vision with lenses (standard practice in the past).
The wavefront data from your personalized cornea map is then sent to a computer, which calibrates the LASIK laser for surgery. The IntraLase femtosecond laser is used to create the initial corneal flap, and the computer-guided excimer laser gently reshapes the cornea, for a completely bladeless procedure.
iLASIK improves both how much you can see and how well you can see. The procedure provides consistently superior night vision and an overall higher quality of vision. It also reduces the chance of needing further laser enhancement in the future.
Learn More about iLASIK
If you suffer from poor night vision and are considering LASIK or iLASIK, we encourage you to explore all of your options with Dr. Brian Will and our team. We can review the advantages of each procedure and determine the best fit for your unique needs.
Please contact Will Vision & Laser Centers today. You can reach our Vancouver office at (877) 542-EYES (3937), our Beaverton office at (877) 542-3937 or our Salem office at (877) 542-3937.