Proposed Changes Proposed Changes in U.S. Naval in U.S. Naval

Aviation Color Aviation Color Vision StandardsVision Standards

CAPT Matt Rings, MC(FS), USNCAPT Matt Rings, MC(FS), USNAerospace OphthalmologyAerospace Ophthalmology

Naval Aerospace Medical InstituteNaval Aerospace Medical Institute

Conflict of InterestConflict of Interest& Disclosures& Disclosures

• No financial interests or promises thereof in any products mentioned in this lecture

• Conference educational travel grant from Konan

• Opinions are the author’s, and not those of the US Gov’t, Dept of Defense, or US Navy

• No guarantee of accuracy in future approved aviation policies

•No off-label uses discussed or advocated

Color Vision in Naval AviationColor Vision in Naval Aviation

Proposed Boeing Upgrade F/A-18E/FF-14A circa 1980

Color Vision in Naval AviationColor Vision in Naval Aviation

• Modern Aircrew color displays more complex

(ex. P-8A Poseidon sonobuoy stations)

Unclassified image

Public domain USN

FALANT History .FALANT History .

• Designed to pass mild color vision defectives to make up

for manpower shortfalls in submarine duty (late 1940’s)

• Adopted for screening in Naval Aviation in 1950’s to

supplement Pseudo-Isochromatic Plates (PIP)

• Optec-900: replacement for Farnsworth Lantern

FALANT / Optec 900FALANT / Optec 900ProblemsProblems

• FALANT insensitivity: allows moderate to severe CVD to pass occasionally2,3 (defined as “Color Unsafe” in USN)1

• 35% of recorded FALANT scores in the fleet are incorrect1

– Improper timing, lighting, distance, recording – Coaching, cheating, easy memorization, not randomized

• 55% of CVD who were a true FALANT failure, had a “FALANT Pass” in their medical record1

• Majority of Flight Surgeons are unaware that many CVD can pass FALANT – implications for SNA training failures & mishap

investigations

DoDMERB:DoDMERB: FALANT FALANTPhase out planPhase out plan

• Dept of Defense Medical Examination Review Board –

officer accession screenings for academies, ROTC,

USUHS

• DoDMERB is phasing out FALANT completely– High Cost ($7000 each)

– Difficulty training staff how to use properly

– Change effects ALL services that utilize FALANT for screening new

enlisted and officers (USN, USA, USCG)

– Note: USAF has discontinued use of FALANT & PIP completely

CVD: Aviation ConcernsCVD: Aviation Concerns

• Modern displays engineered only for “Color Normal” pilots and crew.4

• CVD pilots react slower to

aviation color signals, and make more mistakes

than color normals 5

• CVD pilots: higher failure rate recognizing signal lights:

25%, 68%, 85% (mild, moderate, severe)12

• CVD pilots without restrictions have ~2.0x higher mishap rate than

normals7,8,9 especially during night flights, approach and landing phases. l

• Many published reports of military aviation near-misses and training

failures due to CVD10, 11 (incl those passing the FALANT but failing the PIP)

Color Vision: Color Vision: Proposed ChangesProposed Changes

• Discontinue the use of the FALANT as an alternate means

of evaluating color vision in aviation personnel.

(Effective date to be determined)

• PIP to be the only authorized method of screening color

vision in aviation personnel.

• Future applicants will still require passing PIP at 12

correct of 14 test plates

New Color Vision Standards: New Color Vision Standards: Policy ImplementationPolicy Implementation

• Current students and designated aviation personnel who fail

the PIP, but pass a properly performed FALANT, will be

medically screened and recommended for color vision

deficiency waivers with Flight Surgeon and C.O. concurrence.

• Waivered aviation personnel will continue to be monitored

annually using the PIP.

• Significant changes in PIP performance will be referred to NAMI

for further evaluation and computerized color vision testing.

Color Vision Policy: Color Vision Policy: Future Trends?Future Trends?

• Continue research on what level of CVD is acceptable for

military pilots and crew positions, with regard to multi-color

displays.

• 1948, Sloan12 -- Different qualifying color vision standards

should be selected to match the degrees of color

discrimination required in military aviation.

• Someday begin the transition to computerized tests for

aviation screening: objective, random, sensitive, long-term

savings vice physical plates.

Vision fit for the rigors of battle, Vision fit for the rigors of battle, not just safety of flight… not just safety of flight… - CAPT Philip Briska, NAMI Ophthalmology, 1985

ReferencesReferences• 1) Paulson, H. (1966). NSMC, Report 466 : The performance of the Farnsworth Lantern at the Naval Submarine

Research Laboratory and the Field from 1955 to 1965. U.S. Naval Submarine Medical Center, Groton, CT.

• 2) Rings, Picken, NAMI research; CCVT validation study vs. PIP vs. FALANT vs. Nagel. (2013).

• 3) DeHart, Fundamentals of Aerospace Medicine, 3rd Edition, p. 373.

• 4) NATO WG-24, Operational Colour Vision in the Modern Aviation Environment

• 5) Cole, B.L., & Maddocks, J.D.. (2008). Color vision testing by Farnsworth lantern and ability to identify approach-path signal colors. Aviation, Space, & Environmental Medicine, 79(6), 585-90.

• 6) Zentner, A.B., (1987), A Proposal for a Diagnostic Colour Vision Standard for Civil Airmen

• 7) Cole, B.L., (1985), Do protanomals have difficulty seeing red lights? Proc. 20 th Session CIE. 1, E 0411-3 Paris.

• 8) Dille, J.R., 1975 Accident Experience of Civilian Pilots with Static Physical Defects, FAA, AsMA, Feb, 1978

• 9) Dille, J.R., 1976 Accident Experience of Civilian Pilots with Static Physical Defects, FAA, AsMA, Feb, 1980

• 10) SUSNFS Newsletters, Oct 1984, Oct 1987, Jan 1986

• 11) Ivan, D.J., Yates, J.T., (1994) In Search of the Abominable Coneman, Clinical Sciences Division, Brooks AFB

• 12) Sloan, LL, Comparison of Tests for Red-Green Color Deficiency, Aviation Medicine, Dec 1948

• 13) US Navy Color Vision Standards Revisited, NSMRL Report 98-01