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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou can start by seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner, or you may make an appointment directly with a doctor who specializes in eye disorders (ophthalmologist or optometrist).
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions can help you make the most of your time together. For poor color vision, some basic questions to ask include:
- How might having poor color vision affect my life?
- Are there any treatments for poor color vision?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take with me? What websites do you recommend?
- Are there special glasses or contact lenses that I can wear to help the problem?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- When did you first notice that you were having trouble seeing certain colors?
- Does anyone in your family (including parents and grandparents) have poor color vision?
- Do you have any medical disorders?
- Are you taking any medicines or supplements?
References
- Barrett KE, et al. Vision. In: Barrett KE, et al. Ganong's Review of Medical Physiology. 23rd ed. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Medical; 2010. http://www.accessmedicine.com/content.aspx?aID=5240281. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Color vision deficiency. Genetics Home Reference. http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/color-vision-deficiency. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Color vision deficiency. American Optometric Association. http://www.aoa.org/x4702.xml?prt. Accessed Dec. 15, 2010.
- Gobba F. Color vision impairment in workers exposed to neurotoxic chemicals. NeuroToxicology. 2003;24:693.
- Robertson DM (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 22, 2010.
- Komaromy AM, et al. Gene therapy rescues cone function in congenital achromaptopsia. Human Molecular Genetics. 2010;19:2581.
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