According to a recent study, those with the most prevalent forms of anomalous trichromacy—a red-green color vision deficiency—benefit from wearing unique proprietary glasses that are constructed with technologically sophisticated spectral notch filters.
Notably, when color blind test subjects were not wearing the glasses, the capacity to recognize and perceive increased color was also exhibited.
First Understand What is color blindness?
If you're color blind, you see color differently from the majority of people. Color blindness frequently makes it challenging to distinguish between particular hues.
Color blindness typically runs in families. Specialized glasses and contact lenses can assist, but there is no cure.
Types of Colorblindness
Different color vision issues are brought on by various forms of color blindness.
Red-green color blindness
Red and green can be difficult to distinguish from one another due to the most prevalent kind of color blindness.
Red-green color blindness comes in 4 different forms
- The most prevalent kind of red-green color blindness is deuteranomaly. It intensifies the red in green. This kind is modest and often doesn't interfere with daily activities.
- Red seems less brilliant and more green due to protanomaly. This kind is modest and often doesn't interfere with daily activities.
- Both protanopia and deuteranopia completely impair your ability to distinguish between red and green.
Complete color blindness
You cannot see any colors if you are completely color blind. This is exceedingly rare and is also known as monochromacy. You could also have problems seeing clearly and be more sensitive to light, depending on the type.
Blue-yellow color blindness
It is challenging to distinguish between blue and green as well as between yellow and red when one has this less prevalent kind of color blindness.
Blue-yellow color blindness comes in two varieties
- It is challenging to distinguish between yellow and red and blue and green due to tritanomaly.
- You can't distinguish between blue and green, purple and red, or yellow and pink if you have tritanopia Colors also appear less vivid as a result.
Glasses with special filters out may also assist the color blind to see colors better
According to a recent study from the UC Davis Eye Center and France's INSERM Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute, people with the most common types of red-green color vision deficiencies benefit from specialized patented glasses that are designed with technically sophisticated spectral notch filters ("anomalous trichromacy").
Notably, when color blind test subjects were not wearing the glasses, the capacity to recognize and perceive increased color was also exhibited.
Red-green color vision deficit (CVD) affects 13 million people in the United States and 350 million people globally, or at least eight in 100 males (8%) and one in 200 women (0.5%).
People with CVD observe a significantly reduced spectrum of colors compared to people with normal color vision, which can distinguish over one million different colors and tones.
Hues appear more subdued and washed out to those with CVD, and some colors are harder to distinguish or create confusion.
At UC Davis, where there are around 40,000 undergraduate and graduate students, 1,700 of them are thought to have red-green CVD.
Over two weeks, the study assessed the effect of spectral notch filters on improving the chromatic responses of viewers with red-green CVD.
For persons who are color blind, the filters (EnChroma glasses) are made to improve the separation between color channels, allowing them to perceive colors more vividly, clearly, and distinctively.
Participants in the study, which was written up in Current Biology, were given either the placebo glasses or the unique filter glasses to wear.
They kept a diary for two weeks and were assessed again on days 2, 4, and 11 but without the spectacles. The people with red-green color blindness responded more strongly to chromatic contrast responses when wearing the filter glasses, the researchers discovered.
Although the duration of the improvements without the use of filters is unknown, the data suggests that it does so for some time.
According to John S. Werner, distinguished professor of ophthalmology and a pioneer in vision science at UC Davis Health, prolonged use of these glasses improves chromatic response in people with anomalous trichromacy (red-green color vision deficit).
We discovered that consistent usage over two weeks boosted chromatic contrast sensitivity and, more significantly, these benefits remained when evaluated without the filters, suggesting an adaptive visual response.
It's far unclear how lengthy the development lasts without wearing the filters, however, the proof indicates that the effect persists for some time.
Werner pointed out that broad-band filters offered as help for the color blind cannot have this effect.
According to him and his research associates, the results of the study imply that alterations in photoreceptor impulses activate a malleable post-receptoral foundation in the brain that may be used for vision rehabilitation.
Alex Zbylut, one of the study's color blind participants, said that when he wore the glasses outside, "all the colors are extremely vibrant and saturated, and I can look at trees and tell that each tree has a slightly different shade of green compared to the rest." Alex received the placebo glasses first and then tried the special filter version.
"I didn't realize how vivid the environment is, and I think these glasses can assist those who are color blind better understand color and appreciate the surroundings."
You may read additional participants' reactions to their use of the glasses in the Supplement to the Current Biology article.
Werner, the study's primary author, is the author of several scientific publications and the 2015 Verriest Medal recipient from the International Color Vision Society.
Kenneth Knoblauch of the University de Lyon and the Inserm Stem Cell and Brain Research Institute in France and Brennan Marsh-Armstrong, a medical student currently attending the University of California, San Diego, are co-authors on the study, "Adaptive Changes in Color Vision from Long-Term Filter Usage in Anomalous but Not Normal Trichromacy."
The National Eye Institute and funds from LABEX CORTEX, Universite de Lyon, run by the French National Research Agency, provided funding for the study.