Empty-field myopia is best described as?

• A. Induced nearsightedness that is associated with flying at night, in instrument meteorological conditions and/or reduced visibility. With nothing to focus on, the eyes automatically focus on a point just slightly ahead of the airplane.
• B. Hyperopia due to aging
• C. Color vision deficiency
• D. Astigmatism due to glare

Answer: (A)

Empty-field myopia happens when the outside scene is featureless, such as flying at night or in poor visibility. In those conditions the eyes have nothing to lock onto at a distant point, so the eye’s accommodation shifts toward a nearby focal point. This causes distance objects to blur and can make the pilot feel like vision is steered toward a point just ahead of the airplane instead of at infinity. That near-focus tendency is why this condition is described as induced nearsightedness associated with empty fields.

Hyperopia due to aging (farsightedness), color vision deficiency, and astigmatism due to glare are not describing this situational, accommodation-driven change in focus in an empty scene.