Mining Publication: Evaluation of Visual Performance When Using Incandescent, Fluorescent, and LED Machine Lights In Mesopic Conditions

The main objective of the NIOSH research outlined in this paper was to explore the existence of visual performance improvements through the implementation of different machine mounted, lighting systems. The visual performance of thirty-six human subjects was evaluated and compared for four different lighting conditions that consisted of incandescent lights alone, a combination of incandescent and LED lights, fluorescent lights alone, and a combination of fluorescent and LED lights. A secondary objective was to determine the role of aging on visual performance and the benefits of using one lighting mode over another. Physiological changes that occur as a person age include reduced pupil size, cloudier lenses, and reduction in the amount of photoreceptors that play a dominant role in low level lighting, all have a significant impact on visual performance as light levels decrease. Because the physiology of the human eye is such that visual performance degrades as a person ages, implementation of lighting systems that can account for that degradation is critical.