The invention discloses a tunable long-range SPR device and a method for detecting the refractive index using the same. The device includes a laser, a lens, a prism, an LRSPR sensor chip, a detectionmedium layer, a unit photodetector, an adjustable voltage output device and a data processing system, wherein the LRSPR sensor chip sequentially includes an oxide conductive layer prepared on a bottomsurface of the prism, an external field modulation medium layer, a buffer medium layer, a metal functional layer, a surface modification layer and a sample cell, the adjustable voltage output deviceis controlled by the data processing system, the sample cell is used for accommodating the detection medium layer, the sample cell is set on at a lower surface of the surface modification layer, a gapis formed between the sample cell and the surface modification layer, and the liquid level of the detection medium layer is in contact with the lower surface of the surface modification layer. The device is advantaged in that device has a simple structure, can calculate the change of the refractive index of the detection medium layer by measuring signals of an external field, has the fast detection response speed and the large detection dynamic range, and improves practicality of the sensor.