Abstract:
Goal
Colour vision is a physiological ability, based on factors which include pigment genes, manufactured photo pigments and their absorption spectra. In the case of defects in the red and green genes, defective colour vision results, in the form of abnormal trichromacy, dichromacy or S-cone monochromacy. For the treatment of abnormal trichromacy, corrective colour filters (Coloryte) with special coating have been developed; their effect on colour vision formed the subject of this study.
Methods
With the help of a colour vision test (CVT), the filters were individually adapted and thereupon tested for changes in colour vision ability, by means of six different colour and contrast tests (Ishihara tables, American Optical Hardy Rand and Rittler Test, colour vision assessment in diagnosis, motion test and two different anomaloscope tests). After total completion of the test series in random order, with and without filters, the effects of the filters could be determined by comparing the results.
Result
The results showed that the CVT filter adaptation test contains errors, as a result of which the colour vision deficiency diagnostics and thus also the filter allocation do not function correctly. Also, the test results do not show the desired effect of colour vision normalisation. Although protanomals have partly benefited from the filters, none of them has ultimately proved to be capable of normal colour vision. On the other hand, a negative effect of the filters was noticed in the blue area and in contrast perception. In the partial improvement in colour vision ability of individual test subjects, we must assume that there is a change in brightness or contrast acting as an aid to recognition, rather than a selective change in colour absorption.
Summary
In conclusion, it remains to be said that correction of the inborn red/green colour vision defect continues to be impossible.