Color Blindness Test

Color blindness test includes a series of diagnostic methods to determine whether the person has any vision problems related to colors. Thanks to the content of these tests, the ability of the person to perceive more than one color can be measured.

Thanks to the cones in the retina layer of the eye, the person can detect different colors entering the eye. It perceives the light in the refractions as different colors. The problem of hereditary color blindness occurs due to the insufficiency or absence of these cones in the fovea region of the retina. For this reason, the person cannot distinguish a single color or multiple colors.

Thanks to the color blindness test, the type of cone cells that are insufficient or absent in the person's retina can be revealed. A person's ability to perceive each color in his environment in a healthy way is related to the full functioning of three different types of cone cells.

Trichromate is a concept used for vision that perceives three colors and their mixtures in a healthy way, while dichromate is a concept used for the perception of two different colors and their mixtures, having only two cone cells. If a person has only two cone cells, he can see the basic colors perceived by these cells and their mixtures with each other.

With the color blind test, all the problems the person has in the perception of three basic colors can be revealed. There are many different tests that can reveal problems in color perception. There are many different tests to diagnose the disease, mainly two different types.

What are the screening tests used to detect the disease?

What are the Detailed Color Blindness Tests?

While it is possible to detect the color blindness problem with a detailed color blindness test, a more detailed and in-depth measurement is required to measure the level of this problem.

With the screening test, a perception problem against more than one color can be detected, but the problem cannot be resolved. To measure its degree, a more detailed test needs to be applied. One of the most commonly used color blindness test types is the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Tone test. This test reveals vision problems regarding the 3 main colors as well as the degree of perception of various tones. The content of the test includes small discs consisting of four different trays.

The person applying with suspicion of color blindness is asked to arrange the discs in a longitudinal tray in order to create a continuous color change system. The test should be performed in a room with natural daylight conditions. There is a number at the bottom of each disc that allows the tester to compare the results. Thanks to this comparison, the type and severity of the disease is determined.

Another type of test, the Farnsworth Lantern Test, was first used by the US army to determine whether newly recruited privates or people applying for higher ranks have mild or severe color blindness. used for understanding. The test consists of showing a pair of vertically directed lights consisting of combinations of red, green, or yellow-white. The subject is asked to identify two colors (some of which are the same).

The Cambridge test is performed by looking at a computer screen. It is very similar to the Ishihara test, but attempts are made to find a "C" shape that is a different color from the background. When the desired shape is seen on a randomly pop-up screen, the patient is asked to press one of the four buttons in front of him.

While performing the anomaloscope color blindness test, he is asked to look through an eyepiece and is asked whether a circle is seen. The upper half of the circle consists of yellow light, and the lower half consists of red and green lights. The patient is asked to turn the knobs until both halves are of the same color and brightness. This test is used to check if there are problems seeing red and green.

Having this disease can make some things difficult, but they are not so serious that you cannot do daily tasks on your own. You can still drive, work and live a normal life. You may still need to find other ways to do things. Some people with red and green color blindness use special contact lenses.

Who Should Have Color Blind Testing?

Color blindness test should be applied to people who plan to do any profession where the perception of one or more colors is important. Additionally, many people cannot recognize their disease on their own because the problem is congenital. Therefore, color blindness testing should be applied to people with a family history of the disease.

Hereditary problems in the perception of one or more colors and their tones have a great impact on daily life and performance in business life. There is no permanent cure for the disease. It is possible to increase the quality of life with glasses and contact lenses that include blue, green and red tones according to the patient's needs.

Is Color Blindness Treatment Possible?

There is no known definitive treatment for genetically inherited color blindness, but thanks to developing medical technologies, "color blindness glasses" and "contact lenses" that regulate color contrasts have been produced. Such technologies help patients see more easily in daily life.

The treatment protocol is determined according to the cause of the disease. Some color blindness can decrease with treatment of the underlying disease. If there is any drug treatment that causes visual impairment, the treatment can be terminated with the supervision of a physician. Early diagnosis is important to ensure a full recovery in such cases.

It is recommended that color blind individuals adapt to some situations in order to avoid difficulties in daily life. For example, a patient diagnosed with red-green color blindness can easily navigate traffic by memorizing the sequence of red and green colors on traffic lights while driving.