A new line of sunglasses is promising enhanced color vision for people who are color blind.
According to EnChroma, there are an estimated 10 million of us who live with Color Vision Deficiency (CVD). The company revealed the their new sunglasses at the Vision Expo West and Las Vegas today.
EnChroma says the new sunglasses are designed to improve vision for those who suffer from “red/green color blindness.” Dr. Don McPherson, VP of EnChroma product development, said the technology used in the sunglasses originated from a line of advanced optics designed for laser surgeons.
““Our ‘A Ha’ moment came when I realized that the surgeons were taking the protective eyewear out of the operating room and using them as sunglasses at the beach,” said McPherson. “Investigating this phenomenon further I then discovered that the eyewear had a noticeable positive impact on the wearer’s color vision, explaining both increased performance differentiating tissue in the operating room and enhanced vividness of the natural world outdoors”.
The first color enhancing sunglasses to be released will be the Cx series, which will include the EnChroma Cx: Super Color Enhancing Lens, which will enhance color intensity for people with normal vision; the EnChroma Cx-D: Optical Aid for Deuteranomalous Color Vision Deficiency glasses, for those with deuteranomaly, which causes color confusion; and the EnChroma Cx-PT: Optical Aid for Protanomalous Color Vision Deficiency glasses, for those with protanomaly, which affects sensitivity to red colors.
According to EnChroma, the color enhancing sunglasses will be available with both regular and prescription lenses.
The price of the glasses won’t be cheap. A company representative told Consumer Press they would cost around $799, depending on model. No word yet on exactly when they will be available or where.
Is the cost worthwhile? If you or a loved one is color blind, please let us know what you think of the new glasses, and the price, in the comment section below.
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