Color vision deficiency, commonly known as color blindness, is a condition where individuals perceive colors differently from those with typical color vision. This difference is most frequently associated with the inability to fully distinguish between shades of red and green. Specialized glasses using complex filtering technology exist to help people with this condition see a wider range of hues and enhance color differentiation. For many who rely on corrective lenses for their overall vision, the question becomes whether this color-correcting technology can be combined with their standard prescription.
Integrating Color Correction with Vision Prescriptions
The short answer is that you can absolutely get prescription color blind glasses. Major manufacturers integrate their unique filter technology directly into customized lenses, including single vision, bifocal, and progressive options. This eliminates the need to wear bulky color-correcting glasses over your existing prescription eyewear.
Ordering these combined lenses requires the same precise measurements as any standard pair of prescription glasses. You must provide a current vision prescription from an eye care professional, including the sphere (SPH), cylinder (CYL), and axis measurements for each eye. A crucial piece of information is the pupillary distance (PD), which ensures the optical center of the prescription aligns with your eyes.
The specialized color filter is applied to or embedded within the lens material during manufacturing. This creates a single lens that corrects both the refractive error (nearsightedness, farsightedness, or astigmatism) and the color deficiency. While integration is possible, some manufacturers may have limitations on the strength of the prescription they can accommodate, particularly for very high cylinder or sphere values.
The Science Behind Color Blind Glasses
Color vision deficiency often stems from an overlap in the sensitivity of the cone cells in the retina, specifically the medium-wavelength (M) and long-wavelength (L) cones responsible for detecting green and red light. The most common forms are protanomaly (weak red-sensing cones) and deuteranomaly (weak green-sensing cones). This weakness reduces the ability to distinguish between red and green hues because the signals sent to the brain are too similar, creating “confusion colors.”
Color-correcting glasses address this issue using a specialized filter, often incorporating rare earth minerals, to selectively block a narrow band of light where the L and M cone sensitivities overlap. This point is typically in the yellow-green part of the visible light spectrum, around 590 nanometers. Filtering out this specific light creates a greater separation between the signals received by the red and green cones.
This process does not “cure” the underlying genetic condition or change the cone cells themselves, but rather increases the contrast between red and green signals. The wearer’s brain receives a clearer, more differentiated signal, which enhances the perception of color vibrancy and allows for better discrimination between similar colors. The effect is temporary, lasting only while the glasses are worn, and they are generally most effective for people with milder forms of red-green deficiency, known as anomalous trichromacy.
Necessary Steps to Purchase and Pricing
The first step toward purchasing prescription color blind glasses is obtaining a specialized color vision diagnostic exam from an eye care professional familiar with the lens technology. Standard eye exams confirm the presence of color vision deficiency, but specialized tests, such as the Ishihara plates, determine the specific type and severity. This information is crucial for selecting the appropriate, personalized filter type and tint.
Once the color deficiency is diagnosed and your standard vision prescription is current, the order can be placed. Purchasing often involves ordering directly from the specialized lens manufacturer or through an authorized optometrist partner. The manufacturer custom-makes the lens, grinding the prescription into the material while embedding the color-correcting filter. This custom manufacturing process typically takes two to four weeks before delivery.
Color-correcting lenses are significantly more expensive than standard prescription lenses due to the complex technology and custom fabrication involved. While non-prescription versions may start in the low hundreds of dollars, adding a prescription can push the total cost into the range of $500 to over $1,000, depending on the lens type and frame chosen. Insurance coverage is generally low; most vision plans classify color correction as an elective enhancement.