Visual Acuity Decrements Associated With Whoie Body ±Gz Vibration Stress

O'BRIANT, C. R., and M. K. OHLBAUM. Visual acuity decrements associated with whole body ±Oz vibration stress. Aerospace Med. 41(1): 79-82. 1970. The fact that vibration has an adverse effect on visual acuity is well established but inadequately quantified. The operational acceleration environments of lo*v altitude terrain avoidance flight, the increasing use of helicopters, and the potential vibration problems associated with space flight launch and reentry all require a better understanding of visual performance under this stress. This study demonstrates that near, intermediate, and distant vision are differentially degraded under vibration stress. A method is presented to describe visual efficiency in terms of a Performance Index that should be useful to aeromedical scientists and clinicians, as well as design engineers.