"The "flight visibility" referred to in 91.175 is the reported visibility from ATIS, AWOS, Tower, or other ATC/FSS facility, and must be met to begin the approach. Once you get to the DA/MDA, the "visual reference" criteria of 91.175.c.3 apply, per your SOP."
"Flight visibility" is NOT "reported visibility" though it would not surprise me if many pilots treat it as such. Reported visibility is what the Tower observer sees or what the RVR transmissometer measures - essentially a MET parameter.
If you refer to 14 CFR Pt 1 Definitions - you will find "flight visibility" and "ground visibility", the latter of which more closely resembles "reported visibility".
quote: "Flight visibility means the average forward horizontal distance, from the cockpit of an aircraft in flight, at which prominent unlighted objects may be seen and identified by day and prominent lighted objects may be seen and identified by night. "
quote: "Ground visibility means prevailing horizontal visibility near the earth's surface as reported by the United States National Weather Service or an accredited observer. "
Per 91.175(c), the pilot must determine that the flight visibility is no less than the visibility required by the SIAP.