I was wondering how long one should normally expect for night time starbursts around lights to disappear, or at least diminish to a barely noticeable level. I have heard 3-6 months is normal. Three weeks ago (at 2.5 months post LASIK) I saw my Dr. for a follow up visit and mentioned that I am very happy with my vision in every way except for the starburst problem. His response was that at this point (at 2.5 months) what I have is probably what I will be stuck with. I found this to be very discouraging, and made me regret having decided to get this operation. A friend of mine had his eyes done a week after mine by the same doctor, has the same complaint about starbursts and was told the same bad news. I am now just past the three month point and I don't think the starburst effect has changed from what it was at two weeks. I would like another opinion.

My question is, what is normal as far as starburst effect clearing up? Should the improvement be continuous, or does it take several months before any improvement is noticeable?

Here is some more information about my eyes:
I had the LASIK surgery done on March 23, 2001.
My correction was -1.5 Diopter in both eyes. Because of this low amount, I spent a long time weighing the risk of doing this at all against a really good change of ending up very close to "perfect." That part did work, I am now -.25 Diopter in both eyes and can read most of the 20/15 line.
I specifically asked the doctor about pupil size and he said I would be fine. He measured them and said they were 6 mm. I wondered how his measurement could work since he uses a bright light to see my pupils. Using a picture taken of my eyes in a dark room with an infrared camera I measured 7 mm. The doctor said he used a 6.5 mm treatment area. From what I read, large pupils and high levels of correction can lead to night time problems. I should be great in this area.

I hope I am just being paranoid and only need to wait a few months longer. If the starbursts clear up, I will be totally happy. For now, a reason to be hopeful would be nice.

Thanks

>I was wondering how long one should
>normally expect for night time starbursts
>around lights to disappear, or at
>least diminish to a barely noticeable
>level. I have heard 3-6
>months is normal. Three weeks
>ago (at 2.5 months post LASIK)
>I saw my Dr. for a
>follow up visit and mentioned that
>I am very happy with my
>vision in every way except for
>the starburst problem. His response
>was that at this point (at
>2.5 months) what I have is
>probably what I will be stuck
>with. I found this to
>be very discouraging, and made me
>regret having decided to get this
>operation. A friend of mine
>had his eyes done a week
>after mine by the same doctor,
>has the same complaint about starbursts
>and was told the same bad
>news. I am now just
>past the three month point and
>I don't think the starburst effect
>has changed from what it was
>at two weeks. I would
>like another opinion.

>My question is, what is normal as
>far as starburst effect clearing up?
> Should the improvement be continuous,
>or does it take several months
>before any improvement is noticeable?

>Here is some more information about my
>eyes:I had the LASIK surgery done
>on March 23, 2001.My correction was
>-1.5 Diopter in both eyes.
>Because of this low amount, I
>spent a long time weighing the
>risk of doing this at all
>against a really good change of
>ending up very close to "perfect."
> That part did work, I
>am now -.25 Diopter in both
>eyes and can read most of
>the 20/15 line.I specifically asked the
>doctor about pupil size and he
>said I would be fine.
>He measured them and said they
> were 6 mm. I
>wondered how his measurement could work
>since he uses a bright light
>to see my pupils. Using
>a picture taken of my eyes
>in a dark room with an
>infrared camera I measured 7 mm.
> The doctor said he used
>a 6.5 mm treatment area.
>From what I read, large pupils
>and high levels of correction can
>lead to night time problems.
>I should be great in this
>area.

>I hope I am just being paranoid
>and only need to wait a
>few months longer. If the
>starbursts clear up, I will be
>totally happy. For now, a
>reason to be hopeful would be
>nice.

>Thanks
It is better to measure your pupils in the dark with an infrared insturment. They may be even larger than 7. Even if they are it is unusual to have sympotmatic glare with such a low correction. If the problem persists, you might eventually be able to have the zone enlarged with a cusomized ablation. We will be doing an FDA study on this later this year with the Autonomou laser which could have performed an 8 mm ablation on your eyes. For the time being, ask your doctor to prescribe Alphagan drops which will prevent your pupils from dilatting fully at night. Very safe and usually quite effective.

I dont know if this will be good news or bad news for you but I had severe starbursts ghosts, and halos after my lasik 2 (TWO) years ago. The ghosts are still there but over the last two months the starbursts and halos have started to diminish and at last I am able to drive again at night.So perhaps this is a long term healing problem??.

Dear Dr. Salz,
thank you for the reply. I still have a question about how long would be normal before worrying that the starbursts/halo problem will persist. I hope that I just need to be more patient and am "on track" to having an excellent outcome.

Thanks,

Randy

>>I was wondering how long one should
>>normally expect for night time starbursts
>>around lights to disappear, or at
>>least diminish to a barely noticeable
>>level. I have heard 3-6
>>months is normal. Three weeks
>>ago (at 2.5 months post LASIK)
>>I saw my Dr. for a
>>follow up visit and mentioned that
>>I am very happy with my
>>vision in every way except for
>>the starburst problem. His response
>>was that at this point (at
>>2.5 months) what I have is
>>probably what I will be stuck
>>with. I found this to
>>be very discouraging, and made me
>>regret having decided to get this
>>operation. A friend of mine
>>had his eyes done a week
>>after mine by the same doctor,
>>has the same complaint about starbursts
>>and was told the same bad
>>news. I am now just
>>past the three month point and
>>I don't think the starburst effect
>>has changed from what it was
>>at two weeks. I would
>>like another opinion.

>>My question is, what is normal as
>>far as starburst effect clearing up?
>> Should the improvement be continuous,
>>or does it take several months
>>before any improvement is noticeable?

>>Here is some more information about my
>>eyes:I had the LASIK surgery done
>>on March 23, 2001.My correction was
>>-1.5 Diopter in both eyes.
>>Because of this low amount, I
>>spent a long time weighing the
>>risk of doing this at all
>>against a really good change of
>>ending up very close to "perfect."
>> That part did work, I
>>am now -.25 Diopter in both
>>eyes and can read most of
>>the 20/15 line.I specifically asked the
>>doctor about pupil size and he
>>said I would be fine.
>>He measured them and said they
>> were 6 mm. I
>>wondered how his measurement could work
>>since he uses a bright light
>>to see my pupils. Using
>>a picture taken of my eyes
>>in a dark room with an
>>infrared camera I measured 7 mm.
>> The doctor said he used
>>a 6.5 mm treatment area.
>>From what I read, large pupils
>>and high levels of correction can
>>lead to night time problems.
>>I should be great in this
>>area.

>>I hope I am just being paranoid
>>and only need to wait a
>>few months longer. If the
>>starbursts clear up, I will be
>>totally happy. For now, a
>>reason to be hopeful would be
>>nice.

>>ThanksIt is better to measure your pupils
>in the dark with an infrared
>insturment. They may be even larger
>than 7. Even if they
>are it is unusual to have
>sympotmatic glare with such a low
>correction. If the problem persists,
>you might eventually be able to
>have the zone enlarged with a
>cusomized ablation. We will be
>doing an FDA study on this
>later this year with the Autonomou
>laser which could have performed an
>8 mm ablation on your eyes.
> For the time being, ask
>your doctor to prescribe Alphagan drops
>which will prevent your pupils from
>dilatting fully at night. Very safe
>and usually quite effective.

>
if you are not better after abut 6 months you are probably not going to get better. Did Alphagan help?

>if you are not better after about
>6 months you are probably not
>going to get better. Did
>Alphagan help?

I did ask my doctor about Alphagan. He gave me some and I tried them one night last week. It helped a lot. Thanks for the suggestion. No starbursting at all. Only a very little bit of "fuzziness" around distant lights. I see a little of this effect on overcast mornings too if an oncoming head light hits me just right. So, if things don't improve beyond this point, at least I can have great night vision "on demand" by using Alphagan. Another thing the doctor thought could be a cause is being slightly under corrected, even though I can read the 20/20 line in each eye. He measured me between -.25 and -.50 in each eye and suggested I try a pair of -.50 glasses. I will have them made and see what happens.
I don't think there has been much change in very dark conditions. However, if there is some light the starbursts shrink a lot. In the way of progress, I think it now takes less light then before to shrink the starbursts.

>>if you are not better after about
>>6 months you are probably not
>>going to get better. Did
>>Alphagan help?

>I did ask my doctor about Alphagan.
> He gave me some and
>I tried them one night last
>week. It helped a lot.
> Thanks for the suggestion.
>No starbursting at all. Only
>a very little bit of "fuzziness"
>around distant lights. I see
>a little of this effect on
>overcast mornings too if an oncoming
>head light hits me just right.
> So, if things don't improve
>beyond this point, at least I
>can have great night vision "on
>demand" by using Alphagan. Another
>thing the doctor thought could be
>a cause is being slightly under
>corrected, even though I can read
>the 20/20 line in each eye.
> He measured me between -.25
>and -.50 in each eye and
>suggested I try a pair of
>-.50 glasses. I will have
>them made and see what happens.I
>don't think there has been much
>change in very dark conditions.
>However, if there is some light
>the starbursts shrink a lot.
>In the way of progress, I
>think it now takes less light
>then before to shrink the starbursts.

I am happy to see you get some help with the Alphagan. we have had excellent results from this in several patients and although not a cure it makes it tolerable. It may be woth trying the -0.5 specs because it may stimulate you to accommodate which can also slightly constrict your pupil.
>

>I am happy to see you get
>some help with the Alphagan. we
>have had excellent results from this
>in several patients and although not
>a cure it makes it tolerable.
> It may be woth trying
>the -0.5 specs because it may
>stimulate you to accommodate which can
>also slightly constrict your pupil.>

Dear Dr. Salz,
I thought I would post a follow up. I did have the -.5 specs made. There was no difference in the starburst effect. I also see almost no change in sharpness. My vision is very sharp with and without them. I guess this means my residual refraction must be close to zero.

I do have a question about Alphagan. I have only used it twice (at about 8 PM). Both times I went for a real nice long walk an hour later and enjoyed sharp starburst free vision. However, the next morning things looked not as sharp as normal. By late morning my vision was back to normal. Is this a normal side effect as the Alphagan wears off, or is this a reason for concern?

Thanks

Randy - I am in San Diego too. I am interested in who did your surgery. Please email me at . Thanx!