Related Experiment Videos
Visual discrimination testing of ultraviolet transmitting and ultraviolet blocking acrylic thermoplastics
Michael J Kucenic1, Manisha Patel, Steven R Feldman
1The Department of Dermatology, Baptist Medical Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1071, USA. mkucenic@wubmc.edu
Background:
Visual perception has hindered the development of blinded, placebo-controlled ultraviolet light exposure conditions in humans. New acrylic thermoplastics that block or transmit ultraviolet light have visual properties that may provide a solution.
Methods:
In a series of triangle taste tests, 60 subjects were tested for the ability to visually perceive ultraviolet light transmission by two of four types of acrylic thermoplastics.
Results:
Forty-six of sixty (67%) subjects were unable to visually detect ultraviolet light transmitting acrylics among ultraviolet blocking acrylics in both an ambient light background condition and an ambient light background condition with ultraviolet A light supplementation.
Conclusion:
Acrylic thermoplastics allow for the production of blinded, placebo-controlled ultraviolet light exposure conditions by eliminating visual discrimination differences between active and control groups.