Tests for colour-blindness

Portrait of Shinobu Ishihara.

Shinobu Ishihara. Photograph.

Ishihara Colour Vision test compiled using images of the retina.

The artist has used various images of retinal disease to compile the ishihara style image.

Ishihara Colour Vision test compiled using retina

Used to test for colour blindness, this test is named after its inventor, Shinobu Ishihara (1897–1963), a Japanese ophthalmologist. Each image is made up of a series of closely packed coloured dots and includes a number. The patient is asked to identify the number or image that they can see. By using the range of charts, the type of colour blindness a patient has can be identified. There are three types of colour blindness: daltonism – inability to distinguish reds from greens (the most common type); monochromatism –where all colours appear as shades of one colour; and total colour-blindness. Ishihara devised his test in 1917 and is still used today.

publisher: H. K. Lewis & Company Limited

Place made: London, Greater London, England, United Kingdom

Ishihara colour blindness test, London, England, 1948

Colour blindness is tested using these eight placards. They are known as Ishihara charts. They are named after their inventor, Japanese ophthalmologist Shinobu Ishihara (1897–1963). Each image consists of closely packed coloured dots and a number. The patient must identify the number or image he or she can see. The type of colour blindness a patient has is identified using the range of charts. There are several types of colour blindness. These range in severity. In dichromatism, there is difficulty seeing one of the three primary colours: red, blue or green. In anomalous trichomatsis, there is reduced sensitivity to certain colours. In the rarer monochromatism, there is no colour vision and the world is seen in white, black and grey shades. Ishihara devised his test in 1917. It is still used.

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Tests for colour-blindness

Portrait of Shinobu Ishihara.

Shinobu Ishihara. Photograph.

Ishihara Colour Vision test compiled using retina

Ishihara colour blindness test, London, England, 1948

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

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Tests for colour-blindness

Portrait of Shinobu Ishihara.

Shinobu Ishihara. Photograph.

Ishihara Colour Vision test compiled using retina

Ishihara colour blindness test, London, England, 1948

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Eight Ishihara charts for testing colour blindness, Europe, 1917-1959

Stay in the know

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