AIM: To study the effects of the specific simulated luminous environment on the visual performance of people with different vision, so as to provide an experimental basis for revising pilots' vision standards.

METHODS: A controlled randomized trial was conducted. Twenty-four volunteers were recruited and divided into four groups(1.0/1.0, 0.8/0.8, 0.6/0.6 and 0.4/0.4, decimal vision)according to right/left eye visual acuity, with six subjects in each group. Each subject was tested for static distant vision, kinetic visual acuity, color vision, depth perception error and visual search time under the simulated luminous environments of sunlight, twilight, and on-cloud, respectively, to compare changes in the impact of distinctive luminous surroundings on the visual performance indicators of human beings with different vision.

RESULTS: There were main effect differences in static distant vision, kinetic visual acuity, color error, depth perception error and visual search time under different light environments(all P<0.01). The binocular static distant visual acuity, abilities of color discrimination, depth perception and visual search in simulated sunlight environment were higher than those in simulated twilight and on-cloud environments. In the 0.4/0.4 vision group, kinetic vision in simulated twilight and on-cloud environments were significantly lower than that in simulated sunlight environment(P<0.01). There were main effect differences in binocular static distant vision, kinetic visual acuity, depth perception error and visual search time among subjects with different vision(all P<0.05). Compared with 1.0/1.0 vision group, those with 0.6/0.6 and 0.4/0.4 vision had significant decrease in kinetic visual acuity, depth perception ability and visual search ability(all P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Different luminous environments have a great impact on the visual performance of people with low vision, which poses a potential threat to flight safety.