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Published VersionCC BY-NC-ND V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Low levels of refractive blur increase the risk of colour misperception of red train signals
Ophthalmic & Physiological Pptics, Vol.42(4), pp.872-878
2022
PMID: 35366354
Abstract
Purpose:
Red signals signify danger in a range of situations, including train operations. Importantly, misperception of a red signal as yellow can have serious safety implications. This study investigated the effects of lens blur on incorrect colour perception of red signals, which has been implicated in previous train crashes.
Methods:
Participants included 15 young (26.6 ± 4.6 years) and 15 older (55.8 ± 3.1 years) visually normal adults. Red and yellow wayside train signals were simulated for two brightness levels (dim, bright) using a custom-built projection system. The effect of blur (best-corrected refraction [No Blur], +0.25 DS, +0.50 DS, +0.75 DS, +1.00 DS, +1.25 DS) on the number of incorrect colour perception responses of the signals was recorded. The order of conditions was randomised between participants.
Results:
For incorrect responses to the red signal, there were significant main effects of blur (p < 0.001) and signal brightness (p < 0.001) and a significant interaction between blur and brightness (p < 0.001). The effects of blur were greater for the dim compared to the bright signals, with significantly higher colour misperceptions for the dim signal for +0.50 DS blur and higher, compared with No Blur. Colour misperceptions of the yellow signals were low compared with that of the red signals, with only +1.25 DS blur resulting in a significantly higher number of incorrect responses than No Blur (p < 0.001). There were no effects of age for the red or yellow colour misperceptions (p > 0.19).
Conclusions:
Low levels of blur (+0.50 DS to +1.25 DS) resulted in a significant misperception of the red signals as orange-yellow, particularly for dim signals. The findings have implications for vision testing and refractive correction of train drivers to minimise the possibility of colour misperception of red train signals.
Details
- Title
- Low levels of refractive blur increase the risk of colour misperception of red train signals
- Authors
- Joanne M. Wood (Author) - Queensland University of TechnologyDavid A. Atchison (Author) - Queensland University of TechnologyAlex A. Black (Author) - Queensland University of TechnologyGregoire S. Larue (Author) - Queensland University of Technology
- Publication details
- Ophthalmic & Physiological Pptics, Vol.42(4), pp.872-878
- Publisher
- Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
- Date published
- 2022
- DOI
- 10.1111/opo.12979
- ISSN
- 1475-1313; 0275-5408
- PMID
- 35366354
- Copyright note
- © 2022 The Authors. Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of College of Optometrists. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non-commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made.
- Organisation Unit
- Road Safety Research Collaboration; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Nursing, Midwifery and Paramedicine - Legacy; School of Law and Society; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99659198702621
- Output Type
- Journal article
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