How To Detect Colour Blindness With A Colour Blindness Test

by Optical Superstore Optical Superstore - Eyewear Online Store

What is colour blindness?

People who suffer from colour blindness, otherwise known as colour vision deficiency, see colours differently to most people. This condition is often inherited and usually affects people from birth. Colour blindness may also occur as a result of damage to the brain or eyes. The best way to check colour blindness is with a colour blind test.

What are the different types of colour blindness?

People experience three types of colour blindness: red-green, blue-yellow and complete colour blindness.

Red-green colour blindness is the most common form and mostly affects males. Those who suffer from this type of colour blindness have difficulty telling red colours from greens. Similarly, blue-green colour blindness means people find it hard to tell blue colours from yellows. A colour blind test will indicate which type of colour blindness someone suffers from.

How is colour blindness diagnosed?

Children with colour blindness may start showing signs of difficulty recognising and identifying different colours from around the age of four. This is usually first picked up when a child starts learning the difference between colours or objects that are identified by their colour and can be confirmed with a colour blind test.

A person with colour blindness may find it difficult to distinguish everyday items, which look like various shades of grey. The degree of colour deficiency may vary from person to person.

What is acolour blind test?

An optometrist or ophthalmologist can test for colour blindness. It is usually done using specially designed cards with colour dots in specific patterns. Developed 100 years ago, this Ishihara Test is the best colour blind test. These patterns (usually a number or a shape) can be seen easily by people with good colour vision, but not by those with colour blindness.

Two other types of colour blind test are the 100 Hue Test and an RGB anomaloscope.

Does colour blindness affect my eye health?

Colour blindness doesn’t adversely affect the health of your eyes. However, the health of your eyes may affect your colour vision.

How does colour blindness affect daily life?

The performance of some everyday activities is impacted by colour blindness. These include tasks like coordinating clothing or knowing if food is cooked or uncooked judging by its colour. Colour blindness may create some challenges, but many of these can be overcome.

For example, someone with red-green colour blindness may have trouble seeing traffic light colours. However, this can be overcome by learning that the red light is at the top and the green is at the bottom.

Some occupations require full-colour vision, however, such as designers, electricians or pilots.Someone with colour blindness is unlikely to be able to pursue these, or similar, careers.

Is there a treatment for colour blindness?

There is currently no treatment for inherited colour blindness. However, if colour blindness is caused by a health condition treating it can improve the extent of the colour blindness.

Optometrists consulting within The Optical Superstore premises can conduct a colour blind test.

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