Effect of Yellow Filters on the Vision

In the literature, controversial information could be found whether the yellow filters may improve the quality of vision. To find out what is the effect of yellow filters on the quality of vision, 27 individuals were examined for the contrast sensitivity using the Pelli-Robson chart, under normal (photopic) and reduced (mesopic) illumination. The measurements were carried out with and without yellow filters (light transmission 67%, measured with an Ocean Optic spectrometer). Also, the measurements were taken using a grey filter with transmission close to that of the yellow filter (73%). The results did not show statistically significant improvement when looking through yellow filters. However, 56% of the individuals asserted that under reduced illumination they found it more agreeable to look through yellow filters. Two persons were extra tested for low contrast visual acuity using a computerized test and objective measurements by the visual evoked potentials (VEP) method. These visual measurements also did not show statistically significant improvement of the visual contrast sensitivity when yellow filters were used.

Our measurements do not confirm the data found in literature about the vision improvement owing to yellow filters. However, the mentioned above subjective improvement at using yellow filters in mesopic conditions shows that under very low illumination such filters may slightly increase the visual quality.