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Starbursts

Starbursts, what are they and what causes them?




Nighttime complications of lasik surgery (and other forms of refractive eye surgery!),are most commonly seen as a result of some remaining under correction of vision.These complications as well as the starburst-affects, can include halos,blur and distortion

Some patients after lasik and other forms of laser eye surgey during normal daylight may notice beams or fine light rays coming off a light source.During night time and in darkened conditions these light rays can become much longer and thicker producing a starbursting affect.The shape size and thickness of the light beams can vary between individual patients.

Night Starbursts

Picture of effect shown above.


The most common cause of this particular complication is to do with pupil size.In darkened conditions the pupil dilates/widens,allowing light to enter the eye through both the central and peripheral cornea areas.If when laser eye surgey is performed the treatment zone for vision correction does not cover the area of the cornea which allows in light during darkness,then light will enter through the uncorrected peripheral cornea causing the starbursting affect.

It is important that measurement of the dilated pupil is undertaken prior to surgery being performed,and also that if a patient has relatively large pupils they can be advised of the likely side effects/or excluded as a candidate for treatment.

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