Night driving after cataract surgery: glare, halos and safety

Are you driving again in the daytime, but headlights, street lamps and rain seem more dazzling than they used to? It is one of the most frequent remarks after cataract surgery. Night driving often comes back later than daytime driving: here is why, what the implant changes, how long this generally lasts, and when to talk to your ophthalmologist.

Direct answer: why night-time is harder

The takeaway. After cataract surgery, night vision often regains its comfort after daytime vision. Halos around headlights and the glare of the first weeks are frequent and, most often, temporary. Resume night driving only when daytime driving is comfortable, on short, familiar journeys, and tell your check-up about any discomfort that does not diminish.

The question of when to get back behind the wheel after the operation, in daylight, is covered in our article how long without driving after cataract surgery: never on the day of the procedure, then case by case, depending on your vision and the legal threshold. This article deals with what happens once night has fallen.

What happens in the eye at night

In darkness, the pupil opens wide to let light in. The clouded lens has been replaced by an implant: a small lens whose optic is surrounded by an edge. When the pupil is wide, the oblique light of a headlight or street lamp can reach this edge and be reflected from it. A literature review (Masket and Fram, 2021) thus attributes the light reflections seen after the operation, called positive dysphotopsias, mainly to this reflection from the edge of the implant.

In practical terms, patients describe:

  • halos, rings of light around headlights and street lamps;
  • more marked glare from headlights coming the other way;
  • reflections, arcs or streaks of light at the side of the field of vision;
  • more rarely, a crescent-shaped shadow at the side, called negative dysphotopsia.

Other factors add to this in the first weeks: an eye surface that is still dry, which scatters light, a small residual refractive error not yet corrected by glasses, and, as long as the second eye has not been operated on, an imbalance between the two eyes. To visualise what halos look like, our vision simulator lets you get an idea.

Key points

The edge of the implant at night

Before the operation, the cataract was already causing glare

These sensations need to be put into perspective. A cataract scatters light within the eye: it reduces contrast vision and increases glare, especially at night. It is often night driving that prompts people to seek a consultation. A closed-circuit study (Wood and Carberry, 2006) showed that the driving of patients operated on in both eyes came up to that of drivers without cataract, and that the improvement in contrast sensitivity was the strongest predictor of this progress. This study did not measure halos; it only serves as a reminder that the operation improves contrast vision. The halos at the start most often accompany a phase of adaptation.

What the type of implant changes

Not all implants behave in the same way at night.

  • Monofocal implant: it gives sharp vision at one distance, most often far. It exposes you less to halos than a multifocal implant.
  • Multifocal implant: it divides light between several distances to reduce the need for glasses. In the Cochrane review that compared it with the monofocal (de Silva, 2016; 20 trials), halos were about 3.6 times more frequent and glare about 1.4 times more frequent with a multifocal.
  • EDOF implant (extended depth of focus): an intermediate option, which we describe in our article on cataract and night-time halos with the EDOF implant.

A recent review devoted to night driving after implantation (Puente-Bustillo, 2025) concludes that multifocal implants improve quality of life, but that night driving remains difficult for some patients until the brain’s adaptation, neuroadaptation, is complete. If you drive a lot at night, say so before the operation: it is a factor in choosing the implant.

How long before driving at night?

There is no fixed time, any more than for daytime driving. In current practice, night driving resumes after daytime driving, once vision is sharp and stable and glare no longer bothers you in real conditions. Halos most often fade over the weeks; with a multifocal implant, adaptation may take longer.

A gradual return is the safest:

  • start at dusk, on short, familiar journeys;
  • avoid rain, fog and unlit roads at first;
  • have someone with you the first few times, and stop if glare bothers you;
  • review what you experience at night at the one-month check-up.

Practical tips for seeing better at night

  • A clean windscreen, inside and out: a greasy film scatters the light of headlights and accentuates halos.
  • Clean, suitable glasses: an old prescription that no longer matches the operated eye blurs vision. New glasses are prescribed after three to four weeks (see our article on glasses after cataract surgery).
  • No tinted lenses at night: they reduce the available light without removing halos.
  • Artificial tears if they have been prescribed for you: a dry eye surface scatters light.
  • Your gaze towards the edge of your lane when a vehicle is coming towards you, rather than at its headlights.

When to talk to your ophthalmologist

Halos that lessen week after week are part of normal adaptation. On the other hand, report them if they do not lessen after several weeks, if they stop you driving, or if they come with a persistent shadow at the side. Persistent light disturbance is a recognised cause of dissatisfaction after the operation (Masket and Fram, 2021); depending on its cause, solutions exist in some cases, to be discussed at a consultation.

Seek help without delay, and do not drive, if you have a sudden loss of vision, significant pain, a red eye, or the appearance of black spots, flashes or a veil: the Cachan practice during the day, an ophthalmic emergency service in the evening and at weekends. Months after the operation, vision that becomes hazy again and halos that reappear often point to a secondary cataract, which is treated with a laser.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

How long before I can drive at night after cataract surgery?

There is no fixed time. Night driving generally resumes after daytime driving, when vision is stable and glare no longer bothers you in real conditions. Resume gradually, on short, familiar journeys, and review how things are going at the one-month check-up.

Will the halos around headlights go away?

Most often, they fade over the weeks, as the eye heals and the brain adapts. With a multifocal implant, they are more frequent and adaptation may take longer. If they do not lessen after several weeks, talk to your ophthalmologist.

I see reflections or an arc of light at the side: is that normal?

These reflections, called dysphotopsias, are known to occur after an implant is fitted: oblique light is reflected from the edge of the implant, especially when the pupil is wide, at night. They are often temporary. A persistent crescent-shaped shadow at the side, or reflections that cause lasting discomfort, should be reported at a consultation.

Should I avoid a multifocal implant if I drive a lot at night?

It is not an automatic contraindication, but it is an important factor. Halos are more frequent with a multifocal than with a monofocal. If you often drive at night, say so when the implant is being chosen: other options, such as the monofocal or the EDOF implant, may better suit your priorities.

Can I drive at night when only one eye has been operated on?

Between the two operations, the imbalance between the two eyes makes night vision less comfortable. If your ophthalmologist has cleared daytime driving, stay cautious at night and limit night-time journeys until the second eye is operated on, which is generally one to two weeks after the first.

Do yellow “night-driving” glasses help?

A tinted lens, whatever its colour, reduces the amount of light reaching the eye: at night, that is the opposite of what you need. It does not remove halos. An up-to-date prescription, clean lenses and a clear windscreen are better.

Scientific sources

  1. Masket S, Fram NR. Pseudophakic Dysphotopsia: Review of Incidence, Cause, and Treatment of Positive and Negative Dysphotopsia. Ophthalmology. 2021;128(11):e195-e205. PMID: 32800744
  2. de Silva SR, Evans JR, Kirthi V, Ziaei M, Leyland M. Multifocal versus monofocal intraocular lenses after cataract extraction. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016;12(12):CD003169. PMID: 27943250
  3. Puente-Bustillo S, Holgueras A, López-Miguel A, Maldonado MJ. Visual performance during night driving after intraocular refractive surgery procedures. Expert Rev Med Devices. 2025;22(7):675-684. PMID: 40418587
  4. Wood JM, Carberry TP. Bilateral cataract surgery and driving performance. Br J Ophthalmol. 2006;90(10):1277-1280. PMID: 16825273

Further reading

Post-operative check-ups at the Cachan practice (94) · +33 1 45 47 08 11

This article is intended for information and education purposes. It does not replace a medical consultation. Resuming driving, by day or by night, is cleared case by case by your ophthalmologist. The study figures quoted describe populations, not your personal situation.

Patient journey: your cataract surgery step by step

Written and reviewed by Dr Moïse Tourabaly, ophthalmic refractive surgeon — former chef de clinique (Quinze-Vingts National Eye Hospital).

Last updated: October 4, 2026

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