The effect of Night Vision Goggles on the retinocortical bioelectrical activity and its improvement by food supplement

Aim: To investigate the effect of luminance variations, as well as the oral administration of a food supplement, on the visual bioelectric response while using of Night Vision Goggles (NVG). Methods: Two trials were performed, both enrolling healthy male aircrew members wearing NVG, and recording Visual Evoked Potentials (VEPs) from scalp electrodes. Both foveal and parafoveal response were evaluated. Latency and amplitude, P100 peak, were measured. In the first set of measurements, VEPs parameters were recorded during unaided photopic conditions and mesopic conditions while using 3rd generation plus NVG (ANVIS 9). In the second set of experiments, after the first basal electrophysiological investigation during mesopic conditions using NVG, patients started a 45 days oral treatment, during which they took 3 tablets per day of a food supplement. The tablets contained a mix of anthocy-anosides, procyanidolic oligomers, lutein and vitamins A and E. At the end of this treatment, patients were tested again by pattern-reversal VEP investigation during aided vision condition (wearing NVG) in a mesopic environment. Results: VEPs parameters, statistically evaluated using a two tailed paired t-test, showed that latency and amplitude were respectively increased (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01 for 15' and 60′ minutes of arc) and decreased (p < 0.05) when measured using NVG with respect to unaided basal conditions. Furthermore, the VEP response in NVG aided vision was positively affected by the oral treatment with the food supplement, showing a significant (p < 0.05) decrease of latency and increase of amplitude. Conclusion: The use of NVG impairs the VEP response, and such effect is effectively counteracted by the oral treatment with a food supplement containing a combination of sight improving molecules that might enhance foveal selectivity, central photoreceptors sensitivity and magnocellular fibers effectiveness.