Uncovering the Science Behind Human Color Vision
About 20 years ago, accomplished neurobiologist Mark Changizi began developing research on human vision and its ability to detect changes in skin color. Challenging prevailing theories, Changizi’s book “The Vision Revolution” detailed the amazing capabilities of why we see the way we do, debunking the notion that we see red only to spot berries and fruits amid vegetation.
From Academia to Commercialization
Changizi, who started out in math and physics, was taught that applying something useful is inherently not interesting. However, he managed to beat that impulse and teamed up with his middle school friend, Tim Barber, to form a joint research institute, 2AI Labs. This allowed them to focus on research into cognition and perception in humans and machines, and then to commercialize their findings.
The Connection Between Color Vision and Blood Physiology
Changizi’s research led him to the idea that humans’ ability to see colors evolved to detect oxygenation and hemoglobin changes in the skin, allowing us to tell if someone was scared, uncomfortable, or unhealthy. Barber explains, “We as humans blush and blanche, regardless of overall skin tone. We associate color with emotion. People turn purple with anger in every culture.”
Developing the O2Amp Lens Technology
Changizi determined that it would be possible to build filters that aimed to enhance the ability to see these subtle changes by making veins more or less distinct, sharpening the ability to see the red-green or blue-yellow parts of the spectrum. He and Barber then began the process of patenting their invention, the O2Amp lens technology.
Commercializing the Colorblindness Correction Glasses
Initially, Changizi and Barber considered using the technology in television cameras, but ultimately decided that the easiest approach was to develop a lens that adjusts the color signal that hits the human eye. The patented lens technology simply perfects what the eye does naturally, reading the changes in skin tone brought on by a flush, bruise, or blanch.
After some challenges in finding the right manufacturers, Changizi and Barber finally found a few able to produce the specialized specs, which are now available on Amazon for just under $300. These glasses offer a promising application of their research, providing a solution for those with colorblindness.
How EnChroma Glasses Work
EnChroma glasses work by using a special lens coating that selectively filters out certain wavelengths of light. This helps to better separate the overlapping signals from the red and green color-sensing cones in the eyes of people with red-green color blindness.
The key points are:
– People with red-green color blindness have an overlap in the wavelengths detected by their red and green color receptors (cones) in the eyes.
– EnChroma glasses use a filter that cuts out some of the overlapping wavelengths, allowing the brain to better distinguish between red and green colors.[1][2][3]
– This increased contrast between red and green signals helps the brain process color information more effectively for those with red-green color vision deficiencies.[4][5]
Effectiveness of EnChroma Glasses
EnChroma glasses can be effective for some people with red-green color blindness, but not for everyone:
– Approximately 80% of people with red-green color blindness will see some improvement in their ability to distinguish colors when using EnChroma glasses.[3]
– However, a 2017 study found the glasses only led to significant color vision improvement in 2 out of 10 adults with red-green color blindness.[1]
– The glasses are not effective for people with complete color blindness (no red or green cones).[1][3]
– The effects of the glasses are temporary and only last as long as they are being worn. They do not permanently correct color blindness.[1][4][5]
EnChroma glasses can enhance color perception for many people with red-green color blindness by improving the contrast between those colors. But the degree of improvement varies significantly between individuals and the glasses are not a cure for color blindness.[1][2][3][4][5]
Current Verdict
An article in the Atlantic said these glasses, made by a company called EnChroma, have become the center of an online phenomenon where people record the reactions of those seeing missing colors for the first time. Checking Amazon in 2024, the major brand of color correcting glasses is still currently EnChroma. Looking at the reviews, the global verdict for the $300 price range goggles is ustomers have mixed opinions on performance. Twenty five percent of those who purchased gave it one star, while 47% left a five star review. For some, the EnChroma glasses did not work at all to correct color vision. One person said it just tinted everything pink because the lenses are pink. Positive reviews, on the other hand, said, for example, that they “make everything look slightly dimmer but make greens and reds dramatically pop out and appear very bright.”
Botton Line: They seem worth a try, work reportedly great for some, but they do not work for others.
Citations
[1] https://www.healthline.com/health/how-do-enchroma-glasses-work
[2] https://www.technologyreview.com/2016/06/27/159088/how-enchromas-glasses-correct-color-blindness/
[3] https://enchroma.com/pages/how-enchroma-glasses-work
[4] https://trueeye.com/how-do-enchroma-colorblind-glasses-work/
[5] https://www.aao.org/eye-health/tips-prevention/do-color-blindness-correcting-glasses-work
[6] https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/04/enchroma-colorblindness/521817/