How to Test for Color Blindness

Color blindness is a visual deficiency that affects about 8% of men and 0.5% of women worldwide. [1] It results in the inability to perceive differences in colors, or shades of the same color, due to problems with the cones and light receptors inside a person’s eye. If you want to test to see if you are colorblind, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss your symptoms. If you still have concerns, take some online color blindness tests to find out more information about your vision.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Watching for Symptoms of Color Blindness

  1. Children learn to assign certain colors to specific objects when they’re young, such as by calling roses red and the grass green. If your vision is such that green grass and red flowers appear to be the same color, or closely-related colors, you may be suffering from color blindness. [2]
  2. In order to give your doctor the most accurate information possible, you should write down all of your symptoms of color blindness. Be sure to include details about what objects and colors you have trouble viewing correctly.
    • Keep track of any encounters you have with people who disagree with you about the color of an object.
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  3. It can be tricky to tell on your own if your vision is, in fact, impaired by color blindness. Ask a trusted friend or relative to help you determine if this is a problem for you by studying different shades of the same color. Ask the person helping you to show you a sample of things that are royal blue, sky blue, pale blue, and navy blue. [4]
    • Try using crayons or paints for this activity since you’ll be able to easily find different shades of the same color.
    • If you’d prefer, you can use different colored objects to gain an understanding of what color goes with each item.
  4. One big symptom of color blindness is disagreeing with others about what color objects are. If you notice that you often find yourself naming a color that others say is wrong, you may want to contact your doctor for a consultation. [5]
    • Parents often notice color blindness in their children when they are unable to correctly identify different colors.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Using Online Color Blindness Tests

  1. There are a lot of online color blindness tests to choose from, but some are far better than others. To ensure your test is legitimate, check to see if a reputable ophthalmological organization created or approved it. [6]
  2. Once you find a reputable test, read the on-screen instructions to learn how the test works and what it judges. Then, complete the test. Most online color blindness tests end with a results screen showing your score and what it indicates about your vision. [7]
    • Print your results screen or write the information down so you can reference it whenever necessary.
  3. Some color blindness tests are more effective than others, especially when you’re dealing with free sites on the internet. Spend some time taking multiple color blindness tests so that you can compare the results and get a more conclusive answer.
    • Remember that online color blindness tests are not to be used as a substitute for the professional opinion of a medical specialist. [8]
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Getting Professional Help

  1. If color blindness is really inhibiting your life, make an appointment with an ophthalmologist (a doctor specializing in eyes and vision). [9] There is currently no known cure for color blindness, but your doctor may be able to prescribe filtered contacts that correct for different types of color blindness including: [10]
    • Protanomaly, an inability to perceive shades of red.
    • Deuteranomaly, a problem with perceiving shades of green.
    • Dichromacy, a deficiency in being able to distinguish differences between red, orange, yellow, and green.
  2. When you see the ophthalmologist, you will undergo several types of eye exams, 1 of which may be the Ishihara Color Vision Test. To take the test, your doctor will give you a booklet containing patterns composed of small dots. Each of these patterns conceals a hidden symbol that will be difficult to see if you have a red-green color deficiency. [11]
  3. Your ophthalmologist may ask you to complete a Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue Test. During this test, you’ll be tasked with arranging 88 colored plates into smooth gradients. The number of mistakes you make will help your doctor determine the severity of your color blindness. [12]
    • A person who is not colorblind will make very few (or no) mistakes in ordering the color progression.
    • The F-M 100 focuses on muted shades of orange, blue, green, yellow, and purple.
  4. The Farnsworth-Munsell D15 Hue Test is similar in design to the F-M 100. However, it only consists of 15 colored plates, making it better for use in quick exam sessions. [13]
    • The F-M D15 uses bright shades of blue, green, purple, and yellow.
    • Though the F-M D15 doesn’t have the same level of precision as its larger sibling, it will alert your doctor to any major color issues.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.colourblindawareness.org/colour-blindness/
      2. ↑ https://www.colourblindawareness.org/families/early-symptoms/
      3. ↑ Luxme Hariharan, MD, MPH. Board Certified Ophthalmologist. Expert Interview. 17 August 2021.
      4. ↑ https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-color-blindness
      5. ↑ https://www.nei.nih.gov/learn-about-eye-health/eye-conditions-and-diseases/color-blindness
      6. ↑ https://www.colorblindnesstest.org/
      7. ↑ Luxme Hariharan, MD, MPH. Board Certified Ophthalmologist. Expert Interview. 17 August 2021.
      8. ↑ https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/color-vision-deficiency?sso=y
      9. ↑ Luxme Hariharan, MD, MPH. Board Certified Ophthalmologist. Expert Interview. 17 August 2021.
      1. ↑ https://www.aao.org/eye-health/diseases/what-is-color-blindness
      2. ↑ https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/11604-color-blindness
      3. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK217823/
      4. ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK217823/

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