Understanding Color Blindness and Treatment Options

Color blindness or color deficiency means you have trouble seeing or telling the difference between specific colors. There is no cure for the condition. However, there are ways you can maneuver around it. 

Some people live their whole lives with color blindness. They never notice there is something wrong. So if you understand colorblindness and its treatment options, you can live without problems.

Types of Color Blindness

The condition primarily runs in families, and you inherit it at birth. However, you can develop color blindness from certain diseases or alcohol use disorder. 

• Color blindness manifests in various ways. 
• Red and green. It is the most common one, where you cannot differentiate between red and green. 
• Blue and yellow. It is a less common type of color blindness. It happens when you cannot tell between shades of blue and yellow.
• Complete color blindness. It is another type of color blindness, where the person only sees things in black and white. They cannot see color. Doctors refer to this condition as achromatopsia. It is rare. 

Diagnosis

You may not know if your baby is colorblind. But as they grow up and start distinguishing colors, you can tell something is wrong. Eye doctors can ascertain whether there is something wrong using different tests. The common one is the Ishihara color test. You can take your child for the test from around age four. You must get it if colorblindness runs in your family.

Treatment

Treatment for color blindness is only available if it results from disease or medication. The doctor may prescribe a change of medication. But if you inherit it from your family, you must find practical ways to work around it. Some of these ways include:

Using Gadgets

Some apps can help you know which colors you are seeing. You can download these to your phone or tablet. When you direct the camera to an object or image and tap on it, it tells you the color. Some apps go the extra mile to give you the shades of those colors.

Habits

Develop memorization habits. It will help you to know the order of colors. It is especially vital when checking traffic lights and other warning signs. You can also put labels on objects or even clothes. It will help you arrange your closet and choose outfits that match.

Lenses

There are specific eyeglasses and contact lenses for people with red-green color blindness. These help them go about daily activities and differentiate the colors they see. However, these lenses are not one-size-fits-all. Thus, check with your eye doctor before resorting to this solution.

Get a Buddy

Asking for help from a friend is very okay! You can ask someone with a working color vision to help you choose or sort items and clothes. It divides the work between two people, making it more fun. Trying to work things out without help can be frustrating, even if you use gadgets or technology. Sharing these times with friends is more fulfilling.

For more information on color blindness, visit Van Alstyne Eye Care at our Van Alstyne, Texas office. Call (903) 482-0090 to schedule an appointment today.