Color deficiency is not actually a form of blindness; it is a deficiency in how a person sees color. People with color deficiencies have a hard time distinguishing between certain colors, including red and green, and blue and yellow.

Most color deficiency is hereditary, but it can also be acquired from eye diseases, toxins, and drugs. Individuals with mild color deficiencies may never even realize that they have a problem seeing colors. The good news is that color deficiencies can be detected at an early age with routine eye exams.

What is a color test?

Color tests are designed to detect a person's ability to distinguish colors. The tests consist of a series of color plates containing numbers hidden within a background of colored dots. Both inherited and acquired color blindness can be diagnosed with these tests. Even preschool age children can take these tests.  Testing is slightly different for young children. Rather than numbers, color tests for children feature symbols and shapes like squares and circles.

Reasons for color testing

Color tests are performed to screen school age children for color vision deficiencies and to screen job applicants for fields that require color perception (including law enforcement, truck driving, and the military).

While color deficiencies may seem like a harmless condition, it can cause serious problems for young children. Many learning materials in the classroom rely heavily on a child's color perception. It is important for parents and teachers to be aware of a child's color deficiencies so they can learn to plan lessons and homework accordingly.