Color vision is within ourselves as well as the environment. Color vision is of extreme importance to pilots and in other occupations that require excellent color discrimination. Advancements in laser technology, however, have required the need for laser eye protection. Laser eye protection alters the spectral world that pilots and other professionals must work in. Understanding the effects of these alterations is necessary to prevent mishaps and further applied color vision knowledge. The present study experimentally manipulated the spectral environment and aviation tasks faced by military pilots. Several spectrally selective filters were used to modify the spectral environment. Subjects performed a wide and inclusive range of color vision and aviation tasks with the filters. The effects of these filters on color vision were modeled after current theories of color processing. The predicted results were compared with the actual results. It was found that color vision is both enhanced and decreased by spectrally selective filters, with certain filters safety is compromised when pilots are distracted, and computational modeling may offer predictive benefits in understanding filter and vision interactions. This research contributes to both applied and basic theories regarding the complex relationship between color vision, filters, and aviation.
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