Effects of ambient illuminance and electronic displays on users' visual performance for young and elderly users

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of age (young participants aged 20-30 and elderly participants older than 60), ambient illuminance (50, 500, 1500, 3000, 6000, and 9000 lx) on participants' visual performance when using various electronic displays (conventional transmissive LCD, Ch-LC display, and E-ink display). Overall, the results indicated that participants' visual performance showed significant difference among various ambient illuminance conditions, electronic displays, and between two groups of participants. Significantly different visual performance was observed between young and elderly participants. The interaction among ambient illuminance, type of electronic display, and age had a significant effect on participants' visual performance. When participants used the E-ink display, both young and elderly participants had significantly worse visual performance under an ambient illuminance of 50 lx compared to other illuminance settings. When participants used the Ch-LC display, young participants had significantly worse visual performance under an ambient illuminance of 50 lx compared to other illuminance settings, but elderly participants had significantly better visual performance under an ambient illuminance higher than 1500 lx. When young participants used a conventional transmissive LCD, the ambient illuminance had no significant effect on their visual performance. When elderly participants use a conventional transmissive LCD, an illuminance of 50 and 6000 lx seem to have a detrimental effect on their visual performance.