Color blindness is a congenital genetic disease in which the color perception of the world is impaired. But if earlier people had to lead a limited lifestyle, now everything is different. Thanks to the development of ophthalmology, glasses for colorblind people appeared. With their help, reliable color rendition is ensured.
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Methods for correcting color perception
Is it possible to cure color blindness? This cannot be done, but there are correction methods. With their help it will be easier to navigate. The following methods for color perception correction are known:
- Color glasses. They have colored glass and are chosen for mild forms of damage. Points are assigned when 1 or 2 color spectrums are lost.
- Contact lenses . They have special overlays that will help you see the difference between colors better. It must be taken into account that lenses do not fully restore color vision and can lead to distortion of objects. With their help, a person sees the shades of the colors of objects, which will help him orient himself correctly.
- Dark glasses with shields . They are needed by people who are color blind, if they are guided only by shades of gray and black. The shields help adapt the light receptors - rods, which allows you to better determine the transitions between shades.
- Laser correction. This method is used only for cataracts. When eliminating cataracts, you can open up a little of the color spectrum, but you will not be able to cure color blindness completely.
Important! You should consult your doctor about the correction method. Only a specialist after an examination can prescribe an effective way to improve light perception.
The long-awaited chance to see
Relatively recently, contact lenses for colorblind people were released. If we look at these products in more detail, then we can see that these are soft contact lenses that are painted in a certain color. It allows you to correct misperceptions of the most common types of color blindness.
The Ishihara test allows you to determine the presence of color blindness
The development of the unique Ningaloo Colorblinds lenses took a long time. For almost 10 years, Gelflex Laboratories, together with the developers of the first lenses that corrected color blindness iRoLenses, have been developing these products. In the process of conducting various experiments, 22 people diagnosed with color blindness took part. After using IRO contact lenses, they were able to pass the Ishihara test. This test for checking the violation of the red and green spectrum of colors was created back in 1917 by Professor Shinbou Ishihara. It consists of 38 plates with multi-colored dots that form numbers and lines.
Glasses
Under normal conditions, the retina of the eye includes about 6 million cells responsible for color perception. These flask cells come in 3 colors - red, blue, green. The remaining shades are obtained by mixing them.
If vision is normal, there are cells of 3 colors. Colorblind people have little or no vision, which leads to vision problems. Color blindness is a congenital disorder. In severe cases, special glasses are used, although they were not available before. People couldn't get a driver's license. In addition, there were restrictions on professions.
Indications for use
Glasses can be confused with sunglasses, but they allow colorblind people to see a variety of colors. Optics will help if there is a violation of the perception of 1 color of the spectrum and all colors. These lenses are suitable for people of any age.
There are no contraindications to this correction method. But it should be borne in mind that glasses are effective only during the day. You cannot watch TV or work on a computer in them.
Colorblind glasses that allow you to see colors - do they exist?
Genetic scientists have long been trying to restore and remake the color blindness gene so that patients can see like everyone else.
All their research has so far been carried out only on animals, and the turn has not yet reached people, because there is always a risk of irreversible damage occurring during gene intervention.
An alternative option is special glasses. Note that there is both male and female color blindness. However, due to the rarity of the disease, female models are rare.
During the next experiments, scientists made a mathematical model of the human eye and came up with a computer program that could calculate the optimal version of a special filter.
This technology was quickly patented by physicist McPherson and programmer Andy Schmeder. Soon after, they founded EnChroma. The glasses produced in the factories of this company have passed numerous tests using special devices, and have also been tested by colorblind people. Such optics are highly durable and do not become washed out, and if minor damage appears on the glass, you can get rid of them in the same way as scratches are removed.
How they work - principle of operation
Glasses for correcting impaired color vision have special lenses made of glass with a multilayer coating.
This is a special filter that blocks the penetration of certain elements of the color spectrum into the eyes. Only primary colors are skipped. Contrast is enhanced. Those shades that are not perceived by a particular person are blocked by the filter.
Now you can purchase one of several types of both color-blind and anti-glare glasses for your computer. When selecting lenses, special tests are used , which make it possible to recognize a subtype of color blindness. Tables by Rabkin, Stilling, Schaaf, Ishihara can even be found on the Internet.
In the video: glasses that allow colorblind people to see colors
Are there any side effects and contraindications?
Color blindness can be absolute or partial, congenital or acquired. Absolute lack of color vision is called monochromatopsia. This disorder is considered the most severe, but, fortunately, it is very rare. Deuteranopia, protanopia and tritanopia are a violation of the perception of one of the basic colors. These pathologies are also quite rare. This article will tell you about the causes of visual impairment.
Most often, doctors diagnose protanomaly and deuteranomaly. These disorders are characterized by weakened perception of the red and green elements of the spectrum. Find out what lenses can be used to correct farsightedness here.
Such people still retain a partial ability to distinguish these colors. Color-correcting glasses are intended only for such patients.
Contraindications:
- people with absolute color blindness;
- people with impaired perception of one of the primary colors;
- patients suffering from tritanomaly - poor perception of the blue and yellow parts of the spectrum;
- people with hemeralopia - night blindness.
Also, these glasses are not recommended for those diagnosed with acquired color blindness. This may cause side effects. Glasses will bring minimal effect even when color blindness is caused by clouding of the lens, the use of certain medications, or pathology of the retina or optic nerve.
on video: the reaction of a person who saw the colors
Manufacturers of glasses for color blindness
The main and most popular manufacturer of glasses for colorblind people is the American company EnChroma. Read how to test your eyesight at home here.
It produces two types of such products:
- EnChroma Cx-D, for protanomaly;
- EnChroma Cx-PT, for deuteranomaly.
The company offers customers three types of frames:
- Explorer;
- Gamma;
- Receptor.
EnChroma.
Less known are glasses from Oxy-Iso. They are also made in the USA.
Oxy-Iso.
The product is presented in a universal frame, but it is possible to rearrange the lenses into any other frame.
Where to buy special glasses for colorblind people and choose the right lenses
Experts recommend buying these glasses, as for myopia and farsightedness, after individual selection of lenses. True, for this it is advisable to go to an American clinic. There they perform computer diagnostics of the patient’s vision and carefully calculate all the necessary parameters for corrective glasses. This material will tell you how myopia differs from farsightedness.
You can order online, but only after examination by your ophthalmologist.
Now such glasses, like anti-glare ones for drivers, can be purchased even on the Aliexpress website, but there is no guarantee whether they will be of sufficient quality.
Prices
In Russian online stores, glasses from EnChroma sell for about 30,000 rubles , and products from Oxy-Iso cost about 18,000 rubles.
Selection rules
When choosing optics, you need to take into account an individual approach. First you should go to an ophthalmologist and get examined. Only a doctor can determine which lenses are required for a particular patient.
If you are unable to see a doctor, you can visit the optician's department. Many stores have an ophthalmologist who can help you select the glasses you need. Before purchasing a correction product, you need to consider the following factors:
- The frame is of great importance. If it is fragile or has a careless assembly, this indicates a low quality product. In this case, the service life will be short.
- It is important that the glasses do not press. If the product causes discomfort, then you need to try on another one.
- Checking for color differences should be done immediately.
- You should pay attention to the cost. A quality product cannot be cheap.
Important! It is necessary to take into account the recommendations of the ophthalmologist. Usually, specialists know about the pros and cons of glasses from different manufacturers. You need to purchase goods only in special stores where there are certificates and a guarantee is provided.
How to buy EnChroma color blindness correction glasses?
The retail price in Russia for this model ranges from 30 thousand rubles. Glasses can be found for sale on some Russian websites. However, they are under warranty and can be returned. However, be careful: there are also many EnChroma fakes on the Internet. Before placing an order, carefully study the site and read reviews on the Internet so as not to waste your money.
Two more models that can correct color perception are Oxy-Iso and Pilestone. They have a lower cost (Pilestone - about 18 thousand rubles), but are less often available for order on the Russian Internet. Before making a purchase of such optics, you must carefully study all the information provided and get advice from a specialist.
Today in Russia there is the only representative of two corporations (EnChroma, Oxy-Iso) specializing in the production of glasses for colorblind people - the OptikPro company. It delivers products by mail and has branches in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
You can purchase optics online, but to do this you must first undergo an examination by an ophthalmologist.
By purchasing goods from unverified sellers, you risk running into counterfeit products that will not benefit your vision.
Price
It is advisable to order optics individually. The creation of these products includes several stages:
- Computer diagnostics are performed to help determine deviations.
- Based on the data, lens parameters are calculated.
- Their production is carried out layer by layer, according to all parameters.
If the lenses are created individually, the perception of colors can be restored. But to obtain a quality product, you need to contact the manufacturer, and for this you need to visit the USA. The optics cost $350.
The cost also depends on the company. The manufacturer EnChroma sells products for 27-36 thousand rubles. And optics from Oxy-Amp costs approximately 18,000 rubles.
Products can also be ordered online. In this case, the quality of perception is determined by the correctness of the examination. Budget options can improve color recognition, but not much.
How to choose
But learning about lenses is only half the battle. You need to know how to choose them correctly. The following tips will help:
- It is possible to correctly determine individual characteristics when choosing glasses against color blindness only in specialized clinics in America.
- If it is not possible to fly to the USA, then you should find an ophthalmologist who is familiar with such a device and can carry out all the necessary diagnostics as accurately as possible. And only then the patient is sent to the official representative office, where glasses will be ordered.
- Delivery is carried out by mail.
It must be remembered that it is very important to know the type of pathology, because lenses can only eliminate problems with recognizing red or green colors. The blue spectrum is not subject to them. But this problem should be solved soon. The development of such glasses is carried out at this time.
Overview of the main manufacturers
Pilestone
These are in demand products. Depending on the degree of impairment, the doctor prescribes specific glasses. They differ in their properties.
Mild/moderate
This category includes the following products:
- Pilestone TP-006 . This model increases the brightness and contrast of perception. It is chosen for moderate red-green blindness. The glasses are chosen by drivers.
- Pilestone TP-012 . The model corrects red-green blindness. The optics can be used in bright conditions. Can be used in artificial light.
- Pilestone TP -021 Color Blind Glasses . This model is also used under artificial lighting. With such optics, brightness and contrast are improved. The glasses are coated, so they can be used as sunglasses.
- Pilestone Glasses TP-025 . The optics have a unique lens structure. It is great for everyday use, including work.
Useful video from EnChroma
EnChroma company talks about its products. The video allows you to understand a person with color blindness and projects real emotions after using special lenses.
There are glasses that can help people with the most common types of color blindness (protanomaly and deuteranomaly). Production has entered the market, and glasses can be purchased from an official representative. However, at this stage, the development of models does not stop; testing of new lenses for people with rare types of color blindness continues.
To make more people aware of the existence of multilayer lenses, you can share the link on social networks. Perhaps, thanks to the repost, there will be one less dim world.
Reviews
You can find various product reviews:
Oleg
I had to buy glasses on the doctor's advice. Although the EnChroma manufacturer's product turned out to be expensive, it still turned out to be effective. It makes life much easier for colorblind people.
Vladimir
We bought Pilestone TP-006 for our son, who has red-green color blindness. With their help, improvements are noticeable. Colors began to be recognized better.
Sergey
Gemo-Iso optics helped distinguish many colors, although it cannot be called ideal. Still, there is a noticeable difference.
Indications for the use of glasses for colorblind people
At the end of the 19th century, John Dalton, during his research, discovered a hereditary disease - color blindness. The scientist's family, like himself, could not distinguish colors. This disease predominantly affects males, since the disease is transmitted through the X chromosome as a recessive trait.
Identified types of color blindness:
- monochromasia - complete lack of ability to distinguish colors;
- protanopia - a person does not distinguish red shades;
- deuteranopia - the perception of the green portion of the spectrum is affected;
- Tritanopia is a defect of blue and violet color.
Glasses similar in properties to sunglasses helped to overcome color blindness. A person who is not colorblind will not see a significant difference. However, innovative technology has helped people with pathology see the world as it really is.
There are no contraindications to using glasses.
