Alfie is the most color blind person I know. He was told that he has pretty much the highest degree of color blindness there is. Forget mistaking green for red. He also frequently mistakes pink for brown, and blue or lavender for pink. When we watch soccer, he often can't tell the difference between the two teams playing because they're both wearing dark colors and we're viewing the players from a distance. It's difficult to comprehend exactly what his world looks like, but the closest I've come to understanding it is his explanation: Go to your tv and turn the controls for color way down, just a few steps above black and white. Yikes.
When I first heard about color blind glasses that help color blind people see colors, I was so excited, but Alfie was skeptic. He felt that he was so color blind that he would probably be one of the few people for which the glasses wouldn't work. Also, how could we ever tell that he was seeing the colors that you and I see? Finally, wouldn't they cost thousands of dollars?
Lucky for us, I got the chance to review Color Blind Glasses by Vino Optics for O2Amp. They're available on Amazon for $304, which is significant but not outrageous... if they work. So, did they? I'm happy to report a big, colorful YES!! Alfie put the glasses on and passed the Ishihara color blindness test with flying colors (pun intended). Glasses off, he couldn't distinguish a single number. Glasses on, he saw them all.
So, what's it like when a color blind person puts on these glasses? When Alfie puts the glasses on, he says amplifies the intensity of everything he sees, even the colors he can identify. He says that objects almost glow neon (or what he identifies as neon, anyway!).
How about when a non-color blind person puts on the glasses? The glasses are tinted pink, so when my kids and I put the glasses on, everything turns pinkish. Interestingly, Alfie doesn't notice the pink tinge! We also notice that color intensity increases, but not as dramatically as it does for Alfie. He's really fascinated by how well he can distinguish colors!
Alfie's final word? He's still a bit of a skeptic -- he says that we still don't know whether we're seeing the same colors..... but then again, who is to say that any two people see exactly the same colors! Also, these are not glasses that Alfie would wear every day. He already has prescription glasses, so he can't wear both at the same time. Also, these glasses have a distinct style, with a wraparound athletic look that would suit road bikers, but probably wouldn't look good when you are wearing a tuxedo at the opera (unless you're Bono). They are definitely something every color blind person should get. Whether they wear it all the time is up to them. Anyway, Alfie looks forward to seeing the Grand Canyon wearing these glasses!
About the glasses
Looking for “outside of the box” holiday gift ideas to share with your audience? Consider the Color Blind Glasses by Vino Optics for O2Amp. These glasses are a remarkable gift to give to the loved-one in your life who is color blind. Giving the gift of color is a once-in-a-lifetime gift!Disclosure: . I received a product sample to facilitate my review, but have not been paid to review the product or give my opinions. Product information (in italics) is provided by the featured company/product. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
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