Vision Test: Color Vision Tests

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Color vision testing checks your ability to distinguish colors and is often part of a routine eye examination. It is also used to screen for color blindness in people with suspected retinal or optic nerve disease or who have a family history of color blindness, which is an inherited trait that affects men far more often than women. The color vision test is also used to screen applicants for jobs in fields where color perception is essential, such as the military or electronics. Color vision tests only detect a deficiency; further testing is needed to identify a specific problem.

Color vision tests may be done:

• As part of a routine eye examination.
• To diagnose a suspected color vision problem.
• To screen for color blindness in people with suspected retinal or optic nerve disease or who have a family history of color blindness.
• To screen applicants for jobs in which color perception is important, such as truck driving, electronics, or the military.