Biomaterial Database

Assessment of inherited colour vision defects in clinical practice. 2007

Barry L Cole

Department of Optometry and Vision Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Australia. bcole@optometry.unimelb.edu.au

BACKGROUND Colour vision deficiency (CVD) has a high prevalence and is often a handicap in everyday life. Those who have CVD will be better able to adapt and make more informed career choices, if they know about their deficiency. The fact that from 20 to 30 per cent of adults with abnormal colour vision do not know they have CVD suggests that colour vision is not tested as often as it should be. This may be because of practitioner uncertainty about which tests to use, how to interpret them and the advice that should be given to patients on the basis of the results. The purpose of this paper is to recommend tests for primary care assessment of colour vision and provide guidance on the advice that can be given to patients with CVD. METHODS The literature on colour vision tests and the relationship between the results of the tests and performance at practical colour tasks was reviewed. RESULTS The colour vision tests that are most suitable for primary care clinical practice are the Ishihara test, the Richmond HRR 4th edition 2002 test, the Medmont C-100 test and the Farnsworth D15 test. These tests are quick to administer, give clear results and are easy to interpret. Tables are provided summarising how these tests should be interpreted, the advice that can be given to CVD patients on basis of the test results, and the occupations in which CVD is a handicap. CONCLUSIONS Optometrists should test the colour vision of all new patients with the Ishihara and Richmond HRR (2002) tests. Those shown to have CVD should be assessed with the Medmont C-100 test and the Farnsworth D15 test and given appropriate advice based on the test results.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009907	Optometry	The professional practice of primary eye and vision care that includes the measurement of visual refractive power and the correction of visual defects with lenses or glasses.	Optometries
D011364	Professional Practice	The use of one's knowledge in a particular profession. It includes, in the case of the field of biomedicine, professional activities related to health care and the actual performance of the duties related to the provision of health care.	Practice, Professional,Practices, Professional,Professional Practices
D003117	Color Vision Defects	Defects of color vision are mainly hereditary traits but can be secondary to acquired or developmental abnormalities in the CONES (RETINA). Severity of hereditary defects of color vision depends on the degree of mutation of the ROD OPSINS genes (on X CHROMOSOME and CHROMOSOME 3) that code the photopigments for red, green and blue.	Achromatopsia,Color Blindness,Monochromatopsia,Color Blindness, Acquired,Color Blindness, Blue,Color Blindness, Green,Color Blindness, Inherited,Color Blindness, Red,Color Blindness, Red-Green,Color Vision Deficiency,Deutan Defect,Protan Defect,Tritan Defect,Achromatopsias,Acquired Color Blindness,Blindness, Color,Blue Color Blindness,Color Blindness, Red Green,Color Vision Defect,Color Vision Deficiencies,Defect, Color Vision,Defect, Deutan,Defects, Color Vision,Deficiencies, Color Vision,Deficiency, Color Vision,Green Color Blindness,Inherited Color Blindness,Red Color Blindness,Red-Green Color Blindness,Vision Defect, Color,Vision Defects, Color,Vision Deficiencies, Color,Vision Deficiency, Color
D003119	Color Perception Tests	Type of vision test used to determine COLOR VISION DEFECTS.	Color Perception Test,Perception Test, Color,Perception Tests, Color,Test, Color Perception,Tests, Color Perception
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D014830	Vocational Guidance	Systematic efforts to assist individuals in selecting an occupation or suitable employment on the basis of aptitude, education, etc.	Career Counseling,Counseling, Career,Guidance, Vocational
D017410	Practice Guidelines as Topic	Works about directions or principles presenting current or future rules of policy for assisting health care practitioners in patient care decisions regarding diagnosis, therapy, or related clinical circumstances. The guidelines may be developed by government agencies at any level, institutions, professional societies, governing boards, or by the convening of expert panels. The guidelines form a basis for the evaluation of all aspects of health care and delivery.	Clinical Guidelines as Topic,Best Practices,Best Practice
D037001	Directive Counseling	Counseling during which a professional plays an active role in a client's or patient's decision making by offering advice, guidance, and/or recommendations.	Prescriptive Counseling,Counseling, Directive,Counseling, Prescriptive