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Let's Get to Know the Different Types of Color Blind Tests

Many do not realize that they suffer from color blindness, especially in children. To ensure abnormalities in vision, can be done by doing a color blind test. Color blindness is one of the vision problems. People who are color blind cannot see some colors clearly and accurately. They may find it difficult to distinguish between several colors, for example red-green, red-yellow-green, or blue-yellow, known as partial color blindness. Even in some people, absolutely not able to recognize color or total color blindness.

Main Causes of Color Blindness

In general, color blindness is caused due to genetic inheritance from parents who experience it. However, sometimes color blindness can also be caused by various factors other than genetic, such as:
  • Physical injury or chemical exposure
  • Optical nerve damage
  • There is a malfunction of the part of the brain that processes color information
  • Having cataracts
  • The aging process in old age
Color blindness can also be caused by a disease, such as diabetes, glaucoma, or multiple sclerosis.

Understanding the Different Types of Color Blind Tests

In addition to overcoming problems with vision, color blindness testing is also important to be used to screen applicants in fields of work that are concerned with the ability of color perception, such as the law enforcement profession, military, engineering, or electronics, to medicine. Some color blind tests that can be done to diagnose this visual disorder include.
  • Ishihara Test

  • This is the most common test used to check for color blindness. Unfortunately, this test can only detect red-green color blindness. Ishihara's color blindness test uses circles consisting of many points of different colors and sizes. Some points will form certain numbers.
  • Cambridge color test

  • This color blindness test is the same as the Ishihara test. The difference is, patients use a computer screen. They were asked to identify the letter "C" whose color was different from the color around it.
  • Drafting test

  • In this drafting test, the patient is asked to arrange objects based on a few gradations of color. For example, patients are asked to arrange blocks of gradations of dark blue-light-blue-light blue.
  • Anomaloscope

  • To do this color blind test a microscope-like instrument is needed. Through the lens of the device, the patient is asked to see the circle which is divided into two colors, half bright yellow, half red and green. The patient is asked to press the button on the device until all the colors in this circle change to the same. Just like the Ishihara test, anomaloscope can only diagnose red-green color blindness.
  • The Farnsworth-Munsell Test

  • The Farnsworth-Munsell test uses many circles with various gradations of the same color, the same as the preparation test. This test is done to check whether the patient can distinguish very thin discoloration.
If you feel you have problems seeing or recognizing color, it is advisable to consult an eye specialist immediately to do a color blind test. Although there are limitations, but do not worry, generally people with color blindness can still do a variety of activities normally. Some activities that involve color perception can also be undertaken with special adjustments.

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