How to use the Color Blind Test
- Turn off night mode, blue-light filters and colour filters, set normal brightness and wear your usual glasses.
- Choose adult mode (numbers) or kids mode (shapes) and click Start test.
- For each plate, pick what you see within 10 seconds; choose I can’t see it rather than guessing.
- Review the score for each plate type and the interpretation, copy the result and decide whether to see a specialist.
How pseudo-isochromatic plates work
The plates are made of many dots with similar brightness but different colours. People with typical colour vision see the figure through colour differences; for people with a red-green or blue-yellow deficiency those colours look alike and the figure disappears. These plates are generated by the tool along colour confusion lines; they are not printed Ishihara plates and are not a clinical standard test.
How common colour vision deficiency is
Inherited red-green deficiency affects about 8% of men and 0.5% of women of Northern European ancestry, and around 5–6% of men in China. Blue-yellow deficiency is rare, and disease or medication can also change colour vision. Most daily life is unaffected, but some jobs (driving, electrical work, design) and colour-coded schoolwork can be.
Using your result
If you miss several red-green or blue-yellow plates but get the controls right, you may have a colour vision difference in that direction. An eye doctor can confirm it with Ishihara, Farnsworth D-15 or anomaloscope tests. Screen colour, brightness and room light influence the outcome, so repeat on another device.
Frequently asked questions
Is an online colour blind test accurate?
Only as a screening aid. Monitor gamut, brightness, night mode and lighting all change colours, so the result cannot replace an eye examination.
From what age can children try it?
Children who can recognise and name a circle, square and star (usually from about 4) can try kids mode with a parent tapping the answer. Do not hint.
What if I miss a control plate?
Everyone should see the control plates. Missing one suggests a screen setting, attention or understanding issue, so the result is unreliable; adjust and retest.
Does “possible tendency” mean I am colour blind?
No. It only indicates the direction of a possible difference. Whether it is a deficiency, and which type, needs professional testing.
How can designers use this?
Whatever your own colour vision, avoid using red and green alone to carry meaning. Use the Colour Contrast Checker and add text, shape or lightness differences.