Color Blindness Test

Color blindness, or "color vision problem," is the result of missing cells in the retina of the eye. The cells usually are able to discern different colors. In people with color blindness some of these cells are missing. A colorblind person cannot see red, green, blue, or some combination of the three. Usually a color blindness test or combination of examinations can diagnose a color vision problem.

The color "seeing" cells are called cone cells. The cone cells are very sensitive to differing colors of lights. Each one of the three types can see just one of the following colors: red, green, or blue. All color is made of some combination of the three of these colors. In color blindness, the cone cells that see one or more of these colors may be absent or decreased in number. The result is that the person cannot see some color combinations and shades with color blindness.

Cone cells form a cluster in the central part of the retina and are most responsive the brighter the light is. Cone cells cannot usually operate well in darkened conditions. Color blindness isn't really "blindness" because the person can usually see. In the most severe cases, people with color vision problems cannot see any color, though this is very rare. Taking a color blindness test with an experienced eye doctor can isolate and diagnose the severity of the vision problem.

There are several types of color blindness tests but all rely on the person looking at several types of patterns and discerning shapes, numbers, or letters within them. This color blindness test is known as a pseudoisochromatic plate test. In this type of test, the patient is asked to examine colored pictures made up of a few colored dots arranged to form patterns. People who have no vision problem can detect the shapes without any problem. If a person has color blindness they will be unable to see the shapes, depending on which test or chart they are looking at. The missing cone cells in the color blind person can be seen by which arrangements they can and cannot see.

Another color blindness test is known as an arrangement test. During this test the patient is asked to study a pattern of colored square cutouts. The pattern is then mixed up and the person is asked to arrange them back to their original position. Only a person who has normal vision will be able to detect the color differentiation in this type of color blindness test. A colorblind person will not be able to tell the difference between the squares and will be unable to arrange them in their original pattern.

If color blindness is suspected then a visit to an experienced eye doctor for a color blindness test should immediately happen. The faster and quicker a person can be diagnosed, the more effective their treatment plans for their life will be. This is especially important in young children because sometimes their color blindness is not realized and other symptoms are diagnosed instead. Colorblindness can be usually detected through testing between the ages of 3 and 5 years old.