How to Pass a Color Vision Test

If you are pursuing a career as an emergency services worker or pilot, you are probably aware that many workers in those fields must pass a colorblindness test. The reason for these tests is to ensure that employees will be able to respond to color-coded lights and signals used in these fields. If you are one of the 8 to12 percent of colorblind males or one of the .05 percent of colorblind females, you might be unable to pass these tests. If you are among the majority of non-colorblind people, you should be able to pass these tests with ease.

Instructions

• 1

  Take some practice colorblindness tests to predict your performance on your upcoming employment test. The most common tests used by employers are the Farnsworth D-15 test, which requires you to arrange 15 different colored tiles in the correct order, and the Ishihara plates test, which requires you to identify a number or word in a pattern of colored dots. Go to archimedes-lab.org or colblindor.com for these online tests.

• 2

  Schedule an appointment with an eye doctor, especially if your performance on the online practice tests indicated colorblindness. The eye doctor will be able to formally assess any problems with your color vision and can recommend some eyewear that can help your vision.

• 3

  Ask your optometrist about special glasses with red-orange filters, or X-Chrome lenses, red contact lenses worn on the weaker eye to help identify colors and contrasts. These treatments may not compensate for your colorblindness enough to pass the tests, but it's worth trying if you need to pass a color vision test for work.

• 4

  Retake the practice tests after going to the eye doctor and trying new color blindness treatments.