Assessing visual performance during intense luminance changes in virtual reality

During indoor-outdoor transitions humans encounter luminance changes beyond the functional range of the photoreceptors, leaving the individual at risk of overlooking harmful low-contrast objects until adaptation processes re-enable optimal vision. To study human visual performance during intense luminance changes, we propose a virtual reality based testbed. After linearization of the headsets luminance output, detection times were recorded for ten participants. The small (FWHM = 0.6 degree) low-contrast stimuli appeared randomly in one of four corners ({+/-}10 degree) after luminance changes of three magnitudes within 1 or 3 seconds. Significantly decreased detection times were observed for the conditions with simulated self-tinting lenses compared to lenses with fixed transmission rates after luminance decreases. In cases of luminance increases all detection times were similar. In conclusion, the proposed virtual reality testbed allows for studying vision during or after steep luminance changes and helps to design technical aids like self-tinting lenses. HighlightsThe HTC Vive headset provides a practicable luminance range of 3 magnitudes, allowing the simulation of indoor-outdoor transitions. Visual performance after steep luminance decreases was significantly better with simulated self-tinting spectacles reducing the encountered luminance step. Different transmission rates of the simulated lenses did not affect the detection times for small low-contrast stimuli after luminance increases.