Researchers from Fudan University in China and OPPLE Lighting have developed an innovative lighting design approach that could help older adults distinguish colors more clearly. As people age, the eye’s natural lens gradually yellows, reducing the amount of short-wavelength light reaching the retina and making it more difficult to differentiate similar colors. To address this change, the research team developed a model that adjusts the spectral composition of white light to better support age-related changes in color vision.

Published in Optics Express, the study describes how the researchers used age-adjusted visual sensitivity models to develop lighting spectra that improve color discrimination while preserving the natural appearance of familiar objects. In tests involving 34 volunteers aged 70 and above, the optimized lighting significantly improved color-sorting performance compared with simulated daylight lighting at nearly identical color temperatures and illumination levels.

The researchers evaluated 11,541 potential lighting spectra that met conventional white-light and color-rendering requirements at approximately 5000 K. From this analysis, they selected two optimized spectra: one focused on maximizing color discrimination and another designed to balance improved visual performance with natural-looking colors. For a modeled 85-year-old observer, these lighting designs were predicted to recover approximately 49% and 36%, respectively, of the age-related decline in color discrimination.

During the human testing phase, 76.5% of participants performed better under the first optimized spectrum, while 64.7% showed improvements under the second. These findings suggest that age-adapted lighting could support everyday activities such as reading product labels, organizing medications, evaluating food freshness and selecting clothing.

The research highlights the potential of age-conscious lighting design to promote visual comfort, independence and quality of life among older adults. Such lighting solutions could also benefit homes, healthcare facilities and other shared environments by improving color perception without compromising conventional lighting standards. OPPLE Lighting is now exploring ways to translate the findings into practical products, although further studies in real-world settings and across a wider range of ages and lighting conditions are needed before broader implementation.

Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20261014/New-eye-model-guides-lighting-designs-for-aging-adults.aspx