The Evolution of Colour Vision Testing

Amanda French, BAppSci(Orth)Hons
Kathryn Rose, PhD, GradDip(Neuro), DipApSc(Orth) DOBA
Kathryn Thompson, MAppSc(Orth), GradCertHealthSciEd, DipApSc(Orth) DOBA
Elaine Cornell, PhD, MA, DipApSc(Orth) DOBA
Discipline of Orthoptics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Sydney

Colour vision testing forms an important part of the assessment of retinal pathology and congenital colour vision anomalies. Although the traditional Ishihara test and other pseudoisochromatic plates are relatively simple to use, some are not designed for the assessment of more complex acquired defects, and hue discrimination tests can be very time consuming to administer and analyse. This review outlines the theoretical development and historical evolution of colour vision tests, from the 19th until this early part of the 21st century. Based on these developments, speculation is made on how the tests will evolve in the future, with increasingly refined computer technology, and predicts that they will provide consistent and robust assessments of colour vision that will become routinely used in the clinical environment.