aggasalk t1_j6h5wm4 wrote
Reply to comment by Ryan949 in When our eyes are adjusting to new light levels, what are they actually doing besides dilating the pupil? by Ryan949
right except for the reverse situation. though it is a more-or-less passive process, the rod/cone pigments are constantly regenerating at the same rate regardless of light level.
when you go into a dark room, the cones are stocked with pigment but it's useless - but it will take a few minutes for the rods to be fully stocked, since they were bleached by your earlier exposure to light.
when you step from darkness to light, there is a brief flash since suddenly all your rods pigments are isomerizing, but the cones are functioning from the get-go.
aztronut t1_j6kbysc wrote
Full dark adaptation can take up to an hour but it varies with age and individual, typically 30-60 minutes.
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