Halos after LASIK

Halo effect, or halos, occur commonly after LASIK. Like starbursts, the severity of halos generally increases with increasing pupil size. The LASIK industry uses the term "glare" to describe these aberrations.

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The Myth of 20/20 Starbursting Halos Ghosting Blurry Vision Reading Issues Driving Issues

Halos may appear around any relatively brighter area or reflective object. Starbursts are typically associated with light sources, such as headlights.

Corneal irregularities after LASIK vary among patients; consequently, patients' visual disturbances vary. In the first image below, four variations of halos are shown. In the bottom image, the yellow caution sign and the white stripe on the edge of the road have a halo, whereas the streetlight has a starburst. The LASIK industry does not consider night vision disturbances as a "complication", even though patients may no longer be able to drive at night or participate in activities in dim environments. Visual disturbances may lead to psychological problems for patients.

Some images courtesy VisionSimulations.com