Color Blind Tests

If you have a color vision deficiency, aka color blindness, then your eye doctor will use a color blind test.  There are two types of color blind tests.

·   Screening color blind tests: The most widely used screening test for color blindness is the Ishihara Color Vision Test, which consists a booklet, each page containing a circular pattern (or "plate") comprising many dots of various colors, brightness and sizes. These dots are arranged in such a way that a person with normal color vision will see a single or two digits number within the array of dots while a colorblind person will either be unable to see a number or see different number.

·  Quantitative color blind test: For checking the color blindness/person’s ability to accurately perceive colors a quantitative color blind test is needed and the most popular test for this is the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test. This test consists of four trays containing many small disks of varying hues. Each tray has a colored reference disk at one end. The person being tested must arrange the other disks within the tray to create a continuum of gradually changing hue.

A color blind test should be given to anyone considering a profession where accurate color perception is essential, like electricians, commercial artists, designers, technicians, etc.

For more details you can read the original article by Gary Heiting, OD published on allaboutvision.com.

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