Why Does It Take So Long for Eyes to Adjust to the Dark?
When the lights go out, your eyes slowly adapt to the darkness. Here's the science behind why that process takes so long.
Why does it always take up to an hour for our eyes to adjust to our surroundings if we’re out in nature on a dark night? (Image credit: Jackal Pan via Getty Images)
It’s after dark, and the lights go out; a thunderstorm has knocked out your power. At first, it’s pitch-black. But slowly, after a while, the light from the moon makes it possible to see your surroundings. The light didn’t change; your eyes did.
But why does it take our eyes so long to fully adjust to the dark?