Errrr - not in the dark they aren't - your eyeballs only have peripheral night vision unaided (can't use the cones, only the rods) with NVG in front of them you are using cones (albeit only the green ones) to focus on the phosphor screen.
Perhaps if some people just took the word of those that have used modern NVG and accepted that they pretty much turn night into day then some progress might be made.
Anything that might be missed on NVG is so many times less than you would miss with the unaided eye that it really isn't worth considering.
Google some footage on NVG flying and move into the 21st century.