Does LASIK Change Eye Colour?

LASIK & Eye Colour: What Really Happens After Surgery?

LASIK eye surgery is a revolutionary procedure that is often performed by eye specialists to correct refractive errors. With its growing popularity, more people are getting concerned about its after-effects that go beyond vision correction. Among these queries, many tend to wonder whether LASIK can alter a person's eye colour. 

Understanding How LASIK Affects the Eye

Many assume LASIK changes eye colour, but this is a common misconception. LASIK reshapes your cornea to correct refractive errors, improving how light focuses on the retina for clearer vision. Your eye colour, however, depends on the iris, which sits behind the cornea and contains melanin—the pigment responsible for colour. 

Since LASIK does not interact with the iris or affect its pigment or structure, it cannot alter eye colour. The procedure is limited to the corneal surface and does not reach deeper structures involved in colour formation. Any perceived colour change post-surgery is usually due to reduced glare or improved clarity, not an actual shift in pigmentation.

What LASIK can affect is:

●  Your reliance on glasses or contacts
●  Visual clarity and sharpness
●  Light sensitivity during healing

If someone notices a change in eye colour after LASIK, it could be due to lighting, pupil size, or unrelated medical conditions, not the surgery itself. Always consult your ophthalmologist for clarity. 

Impact of Laser Eye Surgery on Colour Perception

Many reports have repeatedly revealed that laser eye surgery can permanently alter colour vision. However, you should know the basis of the claim. 

Colour perception is normally felt by the interaction of the retina in the eye, light and the human brain. Specific cells in the retina, referred to as cones, respond to the varying wavelengths of light. 

Three types of cones are present in the human eye retina, each one meant to receive a particular colour. 

●  S-cones: These cells react to shorter wavelengths of light (blue)
●  M-cones: This part of the retina reacts to medium wavelengths (green)
●  L-cones: They react to long wavelengths (red)

When the incident light falls on these cones, they form electrical signals. The optic nerve sends these signals to the brain, where it further processes them into different colour perceptions.

While LASIK alters the shape of the cornea to improve vision, it does not affect the retina or the cone cells, making changes to colour perception highly unlikely. 

Does LASIK Impact Colour Vision? 

Colour perception is generally unaffected by laser eye surgeries such as LASIK, Trans-PRK, and Femto-LASIK. These procedures focus on reshaping the cornea to correct refractive errors and do not involve the colour-sensing structures (cones in the retina) or the neural pathways for colour vision.

What to Expect After LASIK Surgery?

After a successful laser eye surgery, you may not need to wear any cumbersome glasses or contacts. Thus, it will save you from the hassle of going for regular eye checkups and changing your spectacles accordingly. 

Additionally, you can still continue to wear your desired coloured contacts after 6 months have passed from your LASIK surgery. However, before proceeding, you must consult with a qualified ophthalmologist.

Also Read:

→ Can You Blink During LASIK

→ Are There LASIK Side Effects

→ How Long After LASIK Can I See

→ Does LASIK Permanently Fix Eyes