Color Blind Tests for Kids
Color blindness is the inability to see specific colors. There are many different types of color blindness, from only seeing in shades of gray to not distinguishing particular colors. For example, children who cannot tell the difference between blue and yellow or green and red suffer from color blindness. Luckily, there are color blind tests for kids to get to the root of the problem.
Top 5 Online Color-Blind Tests
Children can be tested for color blindness as early as 4 years old, and the test can be administered at home. To do this, color small squares on a white piece of paper with at least 12 different colors, including green, red, orange, brown, purple, gray and blue. Then, ask a child to identify each color in a naturally lit area. If a child struggles to tell the difference between red, green, purple, blue, gray and brown, there is a high chance they are colorblind.
There are several color blindness tests available on the internet. Since they are free and generally accurate, starting with these is the best choice:
After a positive color blindness test, make sure you take your child to a color blindness professional to confirm the diagnosis.
3 Main Professional Color-Blind Tests
There are three main tests that most eye professionals use to determine color blindness. These include the Ishihara color test, the Cambridge color test and the Anomaloscope.
- Ishihara color test. It focuses on red and green color blindness.
- The Cambridge color test. It pinpoints color deficiencies in detail.
- The Anomaloscope. This is another test for red and green color blindness.
What Are the Signs of Color Blindness in Kids?
Children who are color blind often demonstrate this condition by coloring objects as they perceive them. For instance, a child who draws a red fire truck green may be color blind. A parent can determine if a child is afflicted with color blindness by asking them to identify green crayons from red crayons. In the most common type of color blindness, children will not decipher the difference between green and red.
Another sign a child may be suffering from color blindness is having excellent night vision and sensitivity to light. While excellent night vision is undoubtedly a benefit in its own respect, it may come with the cost of not seeing specific colors.
How to Treat Color Blindness
In cases where child color blindness is genetic in origin, there aren’t any standard treatment options. While gene therapy may be an option in the future, it is still not a viable solution for treating genetic defects.
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What to Do After a Child is Diagnosed With Color Blindness
After a child has been diagnosed with color blindness, simply realizing the issue allows children to understand their limitations. While there are specific industries that don’t hire people who are color blind, children diagnosed with color blindness can still live a normal life.
Color Blind Glasses and Contacts
Color blind glasses and contacts allow color blind children to view the difference between colors more distinctly. Color blind glasses work by changing the wavelength of colors, allowing children to differentiate between them. When using these glasses, children with color blindness can pass the Ishihara color test.
In cases where a child with color blindness wants to see what it is like to view typical colors, there are phone apps, like Color Binoculars, that can differentiate between red and green.
In Conclusion
Color blindness in children is a common condition that typically affects boys. In most cases of childhood color blindness, children are unable to differentiate between the colors green and red. Parents who notice signs of color blindness in children can get their child tested as early as 4 by starting with a home test and eventually getting a professional diagnosis. After a child has been diagnosed with color blindness, they can consider color blind glasses, contacts or phone apps to help them differentiate between colors.
