COLORBLIND GUIDE
All you need to know about color blindness
CHILDREN/PARENTS COURSE
Proven Guide to Support Children With Color Vision Deficiency
The GUIDE is for parents who want to get the best start in life for their child without spending hours and days searching about color blindness on the internet or getting random advice on social networks that might not work for their child.
Click here to start this FREE online course from the beginning.
Part 1: For Parents
4. Should You Buy Colorblind Glasses?
We all saw those emotional videos of a colorblind person wearing colorblind glasses and starting to cry after seeing colors. The question is, are those videos real? Or is it just emotional advertising to make you buy expensive glasses from companies?
If you are thinking about buying a pair of colorblind glasses for your child, you need to know a few things to determine if it is a good idea.
There are a lot of different opinions on the internet and social networks about colorblind glasses. Some people believe they work and they are happy with their experience, while others have a completely opposite opinion. Let's find the truth!
This is my honest opinion to help you make your decision. I don't get any commission or promote any of the companies listed below.
Before we get into the details, let’s see how colorblind glasses work:
Color blindness glasses provide more contrast between the different wavelengths of light, making it easier for the brain to differentiate medium wavelengths from long ones.
Glasses use color filters when anybody who wears them will perceive a change in the color. “But a change in color does not mean seeing and distinguishing more colors. They see some additional shades of colors, but they do not see ‘new’ colors because the cones’ responses, optical nerves, and visual cortex are not modified.
The use of a colored filter may change the appearance of colors, but will never make color vision more similar to a normal observer’s vision.” It’s like turning up the contrast on a TV, which for some people can be startling enough to trigger an emotional reaction.
Do colorblind glasses cure color blindness?
Those who know something about color blindness (or color deficiency) won’t be surprised, since this condition is a product of genetics, and as a result, has no known cure.
Colorblind glasses do not “cure” color blindness, they do give colorblind people the ability to see the world 'brightly' and perceive a wider spectrum of colors (tell colors apart) when using them.
How Can Colorblind Glasses Help?
People with mild to moderate forms of colorblindness may benefit from colorblind glasses. But they do not work for everyone with colorblindness.
Some people with severe color blindness do not experience improvement in color perception when they wear these glasses.
In most cases, people must have some degree of color perception for the glasses to work. This means they generally won’t be effective for those with complete or strong color blindness.
Where can you try colorblind glasses for FREE?
EnChroma glasses will be available for colorblind people to borrow and experience in some of the exhibits, galleries, and museums. To find out more about these events, you can easily search Enchroma on Google and then check the news.
EnChroma Color Accessibility Program:
Brands & Prices
EnChroma color blind sunglasses contain cutting-edge technology to improve outcomes for people with a range of visual color deficiencies.
The company offers both indoor and outdoor lenses. EnChroma lenses are designed for those with red-green color blindness only, so they are unlikely to work for those with blue-yellow problems. Their lenses offer 100% ultraviolet protection, are scratch-resistant, and have an anti-reflective coating.
Enchroma Technology
https://enchroma.com/pages/technology
EnChroma's patented lens technology makes colors visible so you can see the vibrancy of reds and oranges, blues and purples or more vibrant greens.
Price range: $189 for kids
Website: https://enchroma.com
Return policy:
Eyewear may be returned within 60 days of the date we shipped your order for a full refund. This return policy only applies to purchases made on our website (enchroma.com). A $50 restocking fee applies to refurbished bundles only as noted. Late returns may be refused or assessed as a processing fee, depending on the circumstances. Read more by clicking here
Pilestone glasses offer several lens options depending on the type of color blindness. This particular pair comes with lens type B, which is a universal, indoor-outdoor, red-green deficiency lens. Lens types A, B, C, and D are for various types of red-green deficiency. Lens type E is for blue-yellow deficiency.
Their lens guide helps to figure out which lens will work best for a particular individual. Lenses can be ordered with or without a prescription. Some are suitable for both indoor and outdoor wear, while others are intended for indoor use only. They are fashionable and one of the most cost-effective options available.
Pilestone Lenses Guide:
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Mild/moderate deutan = Lens A
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Strong/severe deutan = Lens B
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Mild/moderate protan = Lens A
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Strong/severe protan = Lens D
Return policy:
Free returns for all customers in the USA within 60 days of receipt. Returns outside of the USA must pay for return shipping. Returns requested out of 60 days granted return period will not be processed. Read more by clicking here
Price range: $99 for Children
Website: https://pilestone.com
COLORING BOOK
Colorblind Children
A Story For Colorblind Children
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RISKS
Unfortunately, color deficiency is unique and varies from person to person, so, colorblind glasses are not proven to be effective for everyone. Several companies do offer a 60-day return policy, in case their products do not work.
It is important to keep in mind that most colorblind glasses work better at correcting red-green deficiencies rather than blue-yellow types.
BUY COLORBLIND GLASSES CHEAPER
EnChroma Certified Refurbished Glasses
These glasses function like new color blind glasses and have been ultrasonically cleaned, UV sanitized, and reconditioned to meet our strict quality standards for lens and frame performance. Covered by our standard 2-year product warranty and a 60-day guarantee. Not available in prescription.
Link to buy: https://enchroma.com/collections/enchroma-certified-refurbished
eBay
You can find several second-hand colorblind glasses on the eBay website (Enchroma & Pilestone). Make sure that you will buy the original product if it's very cheap, it's probably not the glass or it's not original.
https://www.ebay.com/colorblind-glasses
Insurance Support
Generally, colorblind glasses are not covered by insurance. However, in some cases, you may be able to get colorblind glasses partially covered by incorporating them into a general prescription lens.
FSA (flexible spending account) or HSA (health savings account) funds may be applied toward the purchase of colorblind glasses. Talk to your plan administrator to confirm.
A Suprise Praty? Definitely NO!
Since colorblind glasses might not work for your child, it can be a bad idea or experience to publicly surprise your child with a pair.
Just imagine a few friends or classmates gathering together to surprise a friend with an expensive pair of colorblind glasses, and if there was no effect whatsoever, it would be a pretty disappointing & sad experience.
It's not a pleasant surprise when the result is not pleasant. It would simply upset everyone in the room.
Conclusion
For most people, colorblind glasses may be a prohibitively expensive product. However, if you can afford the cost and buy a pair, it would be good to try it out!
I bought a pair of indoor glasses from Enchroma and it didn't work for me (the company suggested having the indoor glasses as a second pair while you have the outdoor glasses). I returned it to the company and after some deductions, they returned most of my money.
If you can find a pair of glasses and try them on before purchasing them, it would be the best way. If your child likes the result after trying them on, then go ahead and buy a pair!