A reverse color blindness test uses an image that only colorblind or color deficient people can see and that people with normal color vision cannot see. Colorblindness, or color deficiency, is a condition in which an individual cannot distinguish between certain colors. A reverse color blindness test is different from the traditional color blindness test, which uses an image that only people with normal color vision can see but that cannot be seen by those who are colorblind.
Individuals with complete colorblindness cannot see any colors and only view the world in shades of gray, yet colorblindness to this extent is rare. Individuals with a color deficiency can detect certain colors but cannot see others. Colorblindness or color deficiency is typically an inherited condition and is more likely to effect men than women. There is no cure for colorblindness, but specially colored eyewear, such as glasses or contacts, may help to enhance the contrast between colors, helping colorblind individuals to perceive the world more normally.
The first colorblindness test was created by Shinobu Ishihara, a Japanese physician working during the 1900s. He was given the task of creating a test to gauge color deficiencies in military personnel. The test he created consisted of cards that displayed images that only people with normal color vision could distinguish. The Ishihara color blindness test is still used today and well as the reverse color blindness test.
A reverse color blindness test is a method of determining whether or not a person suffers from colorblindness or color deficiency. This test may be given under any number of circumstances. Color blindness tests may be given to individuals who are applying to jobs where normal color vision is essential, such as a pilot who needs to distinguish various colored lights on the plane’s control panel. They may also be given during regular checkups given by an optometrist.
To perform a reverse color blindness test, an individual is presented with a card that contains a sort of hidden image. The card is covered in dots of various sizes and colors. People with normal color vision can only see a card covered in dots, yet individuals who are color blind can see an image in the dots, for example, a number or a shape. This test works because although color deficient individuals cannot see many colors clearly, they are often better at distinguishing luminosity variations in certain colors than normally color-sighted people.