Evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract The digitization of aircraft cockpits places high demands on the colour vision of pilots. The present study investigates colour vision changes upon acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. The digital Waggoner Computerized Color Vision Test and the Waggoner D-15 were performed by 54 healthy vol...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: F. Liebold, W. Adler, S. Jansen, J. P. Klussmann, M. Meyer, L. Nehrlich, J. Schmitz, A. Vingerhoets, L. M. Heindl, J. Hinkelbein
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-02-01
Series:Journal of Physiological Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12576-024-00898-4
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850254336755499008
author F. Liebold
W. Adler
S. Jansen
J. P. Klussmann
M. Meyer
L. Nehrlich
J. Schmitz
A. Vingerhoets
L. M. Heindl
J. Hinkelbein
author_facet F. Liebold
W. Adler
S. Jansen
J. P. Klussmann
M. Meyer
L. Nehrlich
J. Schmitz
A. Vingerhoets
L. M. Heindl
J. Hinkelbein
author_sort F. Liebold
collection DOAJ
description Abstract The digitization of aircraft cockpits places high demands on the colour vision of pilots. The present study investigates colour vision changes upon acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. The digital Waggoner Computerized Color Vision Test and the Waggoner D-15 were performed by 54 healthy volunteers in a decompression chamber. Respective altitude levels were sea level, 10,000 or 15,000 ft for exposure periods of 15 and 60 min, respectively. As for 60 min of exposure a significant decrease in colour perception was found between subjects at 15,000 ft as compared to the control group as well as between subjects at 15,000 ft as compared to subjects at 10,000 ft. No significant difference was found in the comparison within the 15,000 ft groups across time points pre-, peri-, and post-exposure. Thus, pilots appear to experience only minor colour vision impairment up to an exposure altitude of 15,000 ft over 60 min of exposure.
format Article
id doaj-art-63b8cb79ea9e46bb803cc5553caa5ec8
institution OA Journals
issn 1880-6562
language English
publishDate 2024-02-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Journal of Physiological Sciences
spelling doaj-art-63b8cb79ea9e46bb803cc5553caa5ec82025-08-20T01:57:09ZengElsevierJournal of Physiological Sciences1880-65622024-02-0174111410.1186/s12576-024-00898-4Evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine: a randomized controlled trialF. Liebold0W. Adler1S. Jansen2J. P. Klussmann3M. Meyer4L. Nehrlich5J. Schmitz6A. Vingerhoets7L. M. Heindl8J. Hinkelbein9Department of Anaesthesiology und Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine CologneInstitute for Medical Informatics, Biometry and Epidemiology (IMBE), Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-NurembergDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine CologneDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine CologneDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-EssenDepartment of Anaesthesiology und Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine CologneDepartment of Anaesthesiology und Intensive Care Medicine, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine CologneDepartment of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Tilburg UniversityDepartment of Ophthalmology, University Hospital and Faculty of Medicine CologneJohannes Wesling Klinikum Minden, University Hospital, Ruhr University BochumAbstract The digitization of aircraft cockpits places high demands on the colour vision of pilots. The present study investigates colour vision changes upon acute exposure to hypobaric hypoxia. The digital Waggoner Computerized Color Vision Test and the Waggoner D-15 were performed by 54 healthy volunteers in a decompression chamber. Respective altitude levels were sea level, 10,000 or 15,000 ft for exposure periods of 15 and 60 min, respectively. As for 60 min of exposure a significant decrease in colour perception was found between subjects at 15,000 ft as compared to the control group as well as between subjects at 15,000 ft as compared to subjects at 10,000 ft. No significant difference was found in the comparison within the 15,000 ft groups across time points pre-, peri-, and post-exposure. Thus, pilots appear to experience only minor colour vision impairment up to an exposure altitude of 15,000 ft over 60 min of exposure.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12576-024-00898-4Colour visionPilot assessmentHypobaric hypoxiaAircraftEye
spellingShingle F. Liebold
W. Adler
S. Jansen
J. P. Klussmann
M. Meyer
L. Nehrlich
J. Schmitz
A. Vingerhoets
L. M. Heindl
J. Hinkelbein
Evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine: a randomized controlled trial
Journal of Physiological Sciences
Colour vision
Pilot assessment
Hypobaric hypoxia
Aircraft
Eye
title Evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine: a randomized controlled trial
title_full Evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine: a randomized controlled trial
title_fullStr Evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine: a randomized controlled trial
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine: a randomized controlled trial
title_short Evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine: a randomized controlled trial
title_sort evaluation of colour vision impairment during acute hypobaric hypoxia in aviation medicine a randomized controlled trial
topic Colour vision
Pilot assessment
Hypobaric hypoxia
Aircraft
Eye
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12576-024-00898-4
work_keys_str_mv AT fliebold evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT wadler evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT sjansen evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT jpklussmann evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT mmeyer evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT lnehrlich evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT jschmitz evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT avingerhoets evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT lmheindl evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT jhinkelbein evaluationofcolourvisionimpairmentduringacutehypobarichypoxiainaviationmedicinearandomizedcontrolledtrial