How Do Colorblind Glasses Work?

Contrary to popular belief, colorblind people rarely see the world purely in black and white. Being colorblind doesn’t normally mean that someone can’t see any color at all. Instead, they have a much more narrowed perception of color. What this means is that they can find it difficult to differentiate between different shades of colors. Unfortunately, there isn't currently a cure for the condition. 

Color blindness is more common than you might think, affecting an estimated 1 in 12 men, 1 in 200 women, and around 300 million people worldwide. It is also particularly prevalent in people of Caucasian descent. Living with color-blindness isn’t always easy, but fortunately, some options can help, including colorblind glasses.

Types of color blindness 

There are several different types of color blindness. The most common by far is red-green color blindness, which is estimated to affect as many as 8% of Caucasian males. As the name suggests, this variety makes it hard to tell the difference between shades of red and green. 

Blue-yellow color blindness is another variety and often accompanies the red-green type. Again, patients with this variety can struggle to tell the difference between shades of blue and yellow. 

Complete color blindness is where a patient cannot see any color at all. 

Living with color-blindness

Unsurprisingly, being color blind can have a significant impact on your quality of life, including affecting your ability to perform some simple, everyday tasks that other people without color blindness take for granted – for example, choosing clothes, cooking food, and even looking at traffic signals. In some instances, uncorrected color blindness can even be dangerous, putting you at risk of illness or accident by enabling you to take the wrong medication or misreading a road sign. 

What are colorblind glasses and how do they work?

Colorblind glasses are special glasses with a unique tinted lens that enables colorblind people to see colors with greater accuracy. While they don’t cure the condition completely, they can significantly enhance the colors that the wearer sees, partially correcting their deficiency and improving their quality of life. 

Colorblind glasses work by filtering specific wavelengths of light, making it easier for the wearer's brain to distinguish the different shades they are seeing. This prevents the overlap in shades that causes the confusion associated with color-blindness. For example, a person with a red-green color deficiency will be able to tell the difference between the two shades, along with each shade of the color spectrum between them. This broader variety and vibrancy of colors can transform their life. 

I usually wear prescription glasses; can I still wear colorblind glasses?

Yes, you can. Colorblind glasses are available in both prescription and non-prescription varieties, meaning that they can be made to your custom requirements. Being nearsighted, farsighted, or having astigmatism is no barrier to having your color vision improved. 

For more on colorblind glasses, visit Okaloosa Eye Care in Crestview, Florida. Call (850) 608-0003. to schedule an appointment today.