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Color‐space distortions following long‐term occupational exposure to mercury vapor
Author(s) -
FeitosaSantana Claudia,
Bimler David L.,
Paramei Galina V.,
Oiwa Nestor N.,
Barboni Mirella T. S.,
Costa Marcelo F.,
Silveira Luiz C. L.,
Ventura Dora F.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
ophthalmic and physiological optics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.147
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1475-1313
pISSN - 0275-5408
DOI - 10.1111/j.1475-1313.2010.00764.x
Subject(s) - chromatic scale , color vision , audiology , psychology , color space , color difference , optics , medicine , artificial intelligence , physics , computer science , enhanced data rates for gsm evolution , image (mathematics)
Color vision was examined in subjects with long‐term occupational exposure to mercury (Hg) vapor. The color vision impairment was assessed by employing a quantitative measure of distortion of individual and group perceptual color spaces. Hg subjects ( n = 18; 42.1 ± 6.5 years old; exposure time = 10.4 ± 5.0 years; time away from the exposure source = 6.8 ± 4.6 years) and controls ( n = 18; 46.1 ± 8.4 years old) were examined using two arrangement tests, D‐15 and D‐15d, in the traditional way, and also in a triadic procedure. From each subject’s ‘odd‐one‐out’ choices, matrices of inter‐cap subjective dissimilarities were derived and processed by non‐metric multidimensional scaling (MDS). D‐15d results differed significantly between the Hg‐group and the control group ( p < 0.05), with the impairment predominantly along the tritan axis. 2D perceptual color spaces, individual and group, were reconstructed, with the dimensions interpreted as the red‐green (RG) and the blue‐yellow (BY) systems. When color configurations from the Hg‐group were compared to those of the controls, they presented more fluctuations along both chromatic dimensions, indicating a statistically significant difference along the BY axis. In conclusion, the present findings confirm that color vision impairments persist in subjects that have received long‐term occupational exposure to Hg‐vapor although, at the time of testing, they were presenting mean urinary concentration within the normal range for non‐exposed individuals. Considering the advantages of the triadic procedure in clinical evaluation of acquired color vision deficiencies, further studies should attempt to verify and/or improve its efficacy.