Color blindness is a common condition which affects 1 out of 10 men worldwide. Though it is not an extremely dangerous or life-changing genetic disorder, color blindness can complicate everyday tasks, such as dressing, and make it difficult to decipher color codes. Color blindness can also complicate driving; many people with color blindness are unable to distinguish between red and green, which means they cannot rely on their peripheral vision near traffic lights. Sometimes, revolutionary new technology is nothing more than a fancy pair of glasses. Scientist Mark Changizi created glasses which allows color-blind people to distinguish between red and green.
Changizi proposed that color vision, rather than allowing people to identify edible food, allows people to notice subtle changes in skin color. In general, color vision is found in primates with exposed skin and not mammals with fur, such as dogs. It allows us to see the subtle variations in blood flow associated with feelings and emotions. Changizi’s glasses, called Oxy-Isos, were originally designed to isolate these subtle changes and heighten visual sensitivity to them. However, an unintended benefit of the Oxy-Isos is that they allow people with red-green color blindness to distinguish between the two. A pair of colored glasses alone can enable color-blind individuals to enjoy the benefits of color vision.
Oxy-Isos have applications far beyond color blindness, however, and they are beginning to gain traction in the medical profession. ER doctors were able to identify areas of acute bruising after a car accident because the glasses amplify the eye’s ability to see blood flow. Competitive poker players have also utilized the vision enhancing elements of Oxy-Isos, which allow them to more easily identify tells and bluffs. This technology can even be used as a light filter, which eliminates the need for wearing the glasses. Is this exciting technology and would you buy Oxy-Isos for yourself? I’d be tempted to purchase a pair if it meant I could always win at Texas Hold ’em and they look pretty awesome.
