Color Vision Deficiency and What Enchroma Can Do For You

1 in 12 men (8%) and 1 in 200 women (0.5%) are born with some type of color vision deficiency. Color blindness occurs when the cells of the retina responsible for seeing color, the cones, are abnormal. This is most commonly congenital (that a patient is born with color deficiency) but can also be acquired with certain types of eye or neurologic diseases. The most common color deficiency affects the red and green cones, making it difficult to distinguish between those two colors and others along that spectrum. Blue cone deficiency also exists but is less common. Total colorblindness, in which a person can only see black, white, or gray, is quite rare. There are varying degrees of severity within each type of color vision deficiency.

There is no cure for colorblindness, but Wyomissing Optometric Center offers Enchroma prescription spectacle lenses that can aid in color saturation and can improve distinction between colors. Enchroma spectacle lenses filter and separate the signals of colors on the visible light spectrum and eliminates the wavelengths where red and green colors overlap. This provides better color perception and identification to a deficient patient.

It is important to note that Enchroma does not give a “magical cure” for colorblindness but is very helpful if a patient has specific tasks that are difficult on a regular basis such as computer or electrical wiring, driving and distinguishing traffic light colors or signs, choosing matching clothing, and other patient-specific tasks. Enchroma has a better chance of working for some types of color vision deficiencies compared to others.

If you are color deficient and interested in Enchroma, call to schedule a color vision and Enchroma consultation. Several color vision tests will be performed to evaluate the type and severity of color vision defect as well as discuss what Enchroma can do specifically for you. You will also have a chance to trial the Enchroma lenses in office to see the effect for yourself and discuss any questions or concerns you may have before ordering.

Take the Enchroma Colorblindness Test 

You can also learn more specifically about Enchroma from their website.