What is Colour Blindness?
Colour blindness refers to the inability to clearly see and distinguish colours clearly. If you are colour blind, you will you have difficulty distinguishing certain colours, such as red and blue or yellow and green. Even though this is a rare condition, it occurs amongst many individuals. Therefore, the only way to determine if you are colour blind is for you to do a colour blind test. Often, there are many signs and symptoms that indicate this problem.
Symptoms of Colour Blindness
- The inability to clearly distinguish colours and different shades of the same.
- Others can easily notice a problem in the way you are dressed even when it seems ok with you; for example when you wear clothes that do not match.
- What appears normal colours to you is a problem for those around you.
- You are often unable to pick a pink or red item in green grass.
- You have trouble distinguishing street signs or traffic lights.
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Early Symptoms of Colour Blindness in Children
- Using contrasting colours when painting, for example, red leaves on grass.
- Trouble when colouring in worksheets and denial when you talk about colour issues.
- Trouble identifying red in green colour items.
- Trouble identifying colour in low-level light.
- Excellent night vision, amazing sense of smell, smelling food when served before eating.
- High sensitivity to bright light, reading issues on coloured pages.
- Children often complain that their head hurts or the eyes are sore when looking on a background with green or red colour. They also love to count, sort games as opposed to painting if they are colour blind
Baby photo created by yanalya – www.freepik.com
With these symptoms on how to tell if someone is colour blind, you can take appropriate measures to manage the condition.
Colour blind test, when to take it
If often you find asking yourself am I colour blind, it is imperative to take a colour blind test. It is a test that opticians use to determine if you have the deficiency. Generally, there are two tests on how to tell if you’re colour blind, and they include screening tests and a more quantitative colour blind test. The latter is more accurate as it determines the type of colour blindness you may have as well as its severity.
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How do you know if you are Colour Blind?
The Screening Test
Screening colour blindness test is also known as the Ishihara Colour Vision Test. The test was devised by Shinobu Ishihara, a Japanese Ophthalmologist, and it contains a circular pattern of dots with an array of colours, sizes, and brightness. The dots are random, it helps you to how to know if you’re colour blind. For a person with the deficiency, it will be hard to see a number in the patterned dots.
The test comes with 38 plates, while those used in comprehensive tests come with 14 to 24 plates. Apart from the Ishihara tests, there are also other computerized colour blindness tests that have been developed for self-examination. With self-administered tests, you can easily tell if you are colour blind online.
Quantitative Colour Blind Tests
The other test to take on how to know if you are colour blind is the quantitative colour blind test. It is a detailed test with the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test being the most popular test. The test contains small disks with varying hues. You are therefore expected to arrange the disks in the tray, and create a continuum of a hue that is changing gradually. This test is also used by the military to determine if you have mild or severe colour blindness.
For the best how do you know if you are colour blind results, this test should be done in a viewing booth position that helps to simulate the natural daylight. The test also determines the type of colour blindness and its severity. It comes with 15 numbered disks for different hues.
Why is the Colour Blind Test Important?
How to tell if you’re colour blind test is very important considering the fact that it can affect your performance at work. It can also affect the performance of your children at school. Often, it can lower your self-esteem and affect the overall quality of your life. Therefore, it is imperative that you go for the test whenever you have any sign or symptom of the deficiency.
A point to note is that while colour vision deficiency can be inherited, early diagnosis can make the condition more manageable for children. What’s more, it allows you to understand how to help the children in the event of severe colour blindness. Often, kids and people with the condition are being misunderstood. At school, children may develop low self-esteem issues that affect their emotional and mental health.
Therefore, know how to tell if your colour blind by taking the test, and enhance the quality of your life and that of your loved ones.
Where to Take The Test
Your Optometrist and Optician
If you suspect colour blindness, it is essential to go for a consultation and check up with your optometrist. However, ensure the medic is well reputed, skilled and has the best experience in the field. In the UK, not all chains of opticians offer the services routinely. Check with your optician and request for the test. A general practitioner may also recommend the test once you explain your symptoms and medical history.
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A medic can recommend the Ishihara test or more sophisticated tests based on your symptoms. Up to 8 separate tests can be done for a more detailed and accurate diagnosis.
Online Colour Blind Test
Today, the internet also offers an array of colour blind tests. They are an array of Ishihara colour blind screenings tests, and they present varying levels of quality. In this light, it is crucial that you go for the best test on how to check if you are colour blind for accurate results.
It is essential to note that often, the way a colour is presented on the screen is crucial for your test. This is why after you take an online how to tell if colour blind test, it is wise to seek a second opinion from a specialized eye doctor. A physical test is usually administered by a professional using the best standardized and updated materials. This allows for proper lighting and accurate diagnosis. Therefore, take time to get the best test for accurate results to manage the condition more efficiently.
More Colour Blind Tests
Apart from the Ishihara and the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 hue tests, there are other tests that have been used to determine whether or not a patient is colour blind.
They include:
The Cambridge colour test
The Cambridge colour blind test is much more similar to the Ishihara test. However, you have to look at the screen and find a C shape that is different in colour from its background. Often, the shape pops out at random positions. When you see the C shape, you are expected to press any of the four keys as directed by an optician.
The Anomaloscope Test
The Anomaloscope test is also popular how to check if you are colour blind test. You will be asked to look, see, and identify a circle as you look through an eyepiece. The top half of the circle is usually a yellow light, the bottom half is made up of green and red lights. Therefore, you need to turn the knobs until the circle halves are of the same level of brightness and colour. Doctors across different parts of the globe use this test to check whether you have trouble identifying green and red colours.
The Coblis Colour Blindness Simulator
You can also check if you are colour blind with the Coblis colour blindness simulator. This is done by uploading an image on the simulator, take a look at it and determine how it would appear through the eyes of colour blind individuals.
Mobile Apps
Today, there are also mobile apps for IOS and Android phones specifically developed to help colour blind users. Choose the best app and always seek a doctor’s opinion, if you suspect you are colour blind.
Still wondering how do I know if I am colour blind? Take time to understand the basics of colour blindness and the test. This will help you to get help early by going for diagnosis and learning how to manage the condition. Colour blindness may not be treated, but you can always learn how to live a comfortable life with it.
Wait no longer if you suspect colour blindness. Take how to tell if you are colour blind test with Belson Opticians, your eye care specialists in Essex. The experts will help you to get an accurate diagnosis, and recommend the best approach to help you manage colour blindness.
Enchroma Test
EnChroma is a special type of glasses that correct colour blindness, they were first developed in 2012 and have given the chance for any colour blind person to be able to see correctly.
How Do They Work?
EnChroma lenses focus on the most common color vision problem which is caused by red and green retinal cones which coincide. According to studies one in every 12 men suffer from deuteranomaly colour blindness which is fixed by using the Enchroma glasses.
Types of Enchroma Glasses
- Sunglasses were the first EnChroma product developed. They can be used in various conditions including indoor environments. They help those affected by colour blindness from solar ultraviolet and blue light. Different types of EnChroma sunglasses exist depending on the colour deficiency that the person has.
- EnChroma has indoor glasses which can be used if you have CVD. They work best in bright lighting and have applications for those spending most of their time on the computer.
- Children, industrial safety and sports glasses are also available which correct severe vision deficiency.
