Colorblind people can encounter several difficulties in their day-to-day lives due to their condition, such as difficulty cooking, reading, driving, or even detecting changes in other people’s emotions.
Fortunately, color vision technology is making significant strides. EnChroma colorblind glasses are a revolutionary step in helping people observe a larger spectrum of bright, crisp hues. The unique patented lens technology can help transform the way some color deficient people see, allowing them to distinguish more shades.
How do EnChroma glasses work? Read on and we’ll let you know in this short guide.
What Are EnChroma Lenses?
EnChroma lenses are the product of years of careful research and engineering. Today, they can deliver the highest possible range of vision available to people who are color blind. EnChroma color deficiency glasses help increase color contrast, thus helping someone who has a color deficiency distinguish between colors.
Each EnChroma lens consists of Trivex lens material, a urethane-based pre-polymer that is more durable and impact-resistant than many other lens types. The material also provides a sharper, crisper view for the wearer.
Note that there are separate lenses for indoor and outdoor conditions to maximize the spectrum of color vision in any environment. The outdoor lenses can improve vision in direct sunlight, which delivers the highest level of hue distinction. Conversely, the indoor lenses are ideal for conditions of low light where it’s more difficult to distinguish between shades.
All the lenses offer 100% UV protection. They’re also anti-reflective on both sides to improve clarity and eliminate haze. They boast impact protection that’s over 50x higher than FDA resistance impact standards.
Now that you know what EnChroma glasses are, let’s discuss how they work.
How Do EnChroma Glasses Work?
People with typical sight have receptors (cones) that capture white light into the three distinct primary photopigments in the color spectrum: blue, red, and green.
Individuals who are color deficient have fewer cones than normal, making it so they are unable to distinguish one color. This means someone can be red, green, or blue deficient. Unlike a full-color spectrum, patients suffering from one of these color deficiencies see the world in yellow and brown tones.
The most common color deficiency is a red-green or green-red deficiency. People with a lower than normal amount of red cones in the back of the eye are red deficient, called protanopia, and those with fewer green cones are called deuteranopia.
EnChroma lenses reverse the effects caused by deficient red or green cones in the eye. By filtering out portions of the light wave spectrum, they alleviate the excessive light that causes color blindness.
The result is greater contrast in the red or green signals detected by the eye, making it easier for the eye to distinguish these signals and leading to a richer, more holistic experience for those wearing the lenses.
These glasses do not fix color deficiency; they improve the functional contrast between colors. So if you are trying to see if a stoplight is red or green, you may be able to see the difference faster than looking for other visual clues.
Who Is a Good Candidate for EnChroma?
Whether you’re a good candidate for EnChroma lenses boils down to the nature of your eye condition and its severity.
EnChroma glasses work better for patients who are green or red deficient. While someone who is blue deficient may have improved contrast, the glasses are not specifically designed for them.
If you suffer from color blindness, you can determine which specific type of condition you have by having a color blind test. The EnChroma test relies on a “hidden digit” method in which a pattern of dots contains a hidden number or letter in a different hue. Failure to recognize the digit means you aren’t able to distinguish a particular hue.
Enchroma glasses do not work for everyone. Patients with a severe deficiency in red or green cones may not be able to notice the increase in contrast the glasses provide. Our team’s testing in-office can identify whether you are living with mild, moderate, or severe protanopia or deuteranopia. Of course, the best way to test these lenses is to try them on in our office.
How to Get EnChroma Glasses
Want to know how you can snag yourself a pair? First, you’ll want to take a color blindness test. This test will verify that you have the condition and the extent to which it affects your life.
If you have a green or red color deficiency, your optometrist will write you a prescription that you can use to get your new glasses.
When trying on the glasses, it can take a little bit of time for your eyes to adjust to seeing the additional contrast. EnChroma says it can take up to 30 mins; however, we have found that patients are much faster at seeing the difference.
If you’re not sure whether the glasses are right for you and would like to try them, you’re in luck! Each purchase comes with a 60-day money-back guarantee.
Get EnChroma Glasses Today
There’s no doubt that EnChroma glasses can make everyday life easier. Their light-filtering and anti-reflective properties can help some individuals who live with colorblindness better distinguish different hues.
If you want to learn more about how EnChroma glasses work and get a pair for yourself, schedule an appointment with True Eye Experts today.
You can take a color blindness test to assess your condition and find out how to manage it best. Our expert doctors and staff members can advise you on the lenses that are right for you.
