Development of a Method to Potentially Substitute Direct Evaluation of Mesopic Visual Acuity in Drivers

(1) Background: In mesopic lighting conditions, or under adverse environmental circumstances, visual information is reduced, which increases the risk of traffic accidents. This effect could be reduced with a precise evaluation of the visual function under mesopic conditions, but it is difficult to r...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: García Rojo, Marta María, Bonnin Arias, Cristina Natalia, Chamorro Gutiérrez, Eva, Álvarez Peregrina, Cristina, Sánchez Ramos, Celia
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2021
País:España
Institución:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repositorio:Docta Complutense
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/8142
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/8142
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:535.242.67
612.843.36
628.971
617.751
Mesopic visual acuity
Photopic visual acuity
Contrast
Night driving
Aging
Driver behavior
Vision
Óptica (Física)
Optometría
Óptica fisiológica
2209.19 Óptica Física
2209.15 Optometría
Descripción
Sumario:(1) Background: In mesopic lighting conditions, or under adverse environmental circumstances, visual information is reduced, which increases the risk of traffic accidents. This effect could be reduced with a precise evaluation of the visual function under mesopic conditions, but it is difficult to replicate in clinics. This study aims to develop an easy-to-adopt method to evaluate mesopic visual acuity (VA) in drivers. (2) Methods: Prospective and observational study in drivers. logMAR mesopic VA was compared with photopic VA measured under different combinations of contrast charts and filters to find the combination that responds best to mesopic conditions. (3) Results: Fifty-six drivers were examined. The best correlation was found with an 80% density filter and a Weber contrast chart of 20%. The logMAR VA for this combination was 0.01 ± 0.11, which was close to the mesopic VA values (0.01 ± 0.12). The difference between both logMAR VA was 0.00 ± 0.06 (R = 0.86; p ≤ 0.001; ICC = 0.86). (4) Conclusions: The use of 20% contrast optotypes and the interposition of an 80% filter under photopic conditions provide VA values similar to those measured under mesopic lighting conditions, making this simple system a good predictor of mesopic VA values.