Effect of color vision deficiencies on daily life.

Abstract

PURPOSE: The main objective of this study was to determine effects of colour vision deficiency on daily life activities and difficulties that colour vision deficients experience while performing everyday tasks.

STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive type/cross sectional study.

METHOD: Fifty subjects with colour vision deficiency of age 15 up to 45 years completed a psychosocial proforma and questionnaire regarding the difficulties in daily life. Visual acuity of patient was taken using ETDRS Chart and Bailey Lovie chart at distance. D15 test was used as diagnostic tool to determine the category of colour vision deficiency.

RESULTS: Statistically significant results were found for difficulties in daily life activities. Out of 50 colour blinds 66% (33) were male and 34% (17) were females. Protanopes were 40% (20), deuteranopes were 52% (26) and tritanopes were 8% (4) with mean age of 26.72 years.

CONCLUSION: Colour blind subjects with Protanopia and Deuteranopia feel more difficulty in daily life activities as compared to subjects with Tritanopia. Colour blinds feel difficulty in selection of clothes, recognizing paints, cooking, and natural colours, playing games, recognizing coloured prints, charts and slides. They could be eliminated from their job due to colour vision deficiency. Tinted sunglasses are not beneficial to them.

KEYWORDS: Colour blindness, Colour vision deficiency, Everyday tasks, Everyday work.