I'm partially color blind. Is this a problem?

[mkarger]

I'm considering changing my major to either electrical or mechanical engineering.

However, I fail all color blindness tests. It always shows that I'm red-green color blind. But, I never have any issues deciphering different colors or hues. It seems as my brain has adapted to compensate for my color deficiency.

Am I going to have a tough time finding a job after I graduate?

 

[Topher925]

I doubt it. The only issues you might have is reading CFD (colorful fluid dynamics) plots.

 

[mkarger]

I doubt it. The only issues you might have is reading CFD (colorful fluid dynamics) plots.

I can read current flow diagrams and astronomical spectrographs perfectly fine. So I assume I can read pretty much everything else.

 

[minger]

I need a LOT of help passing those tests, although in real-life I can easily tell the difference between reds and greens. When the sample is small and far enough away, in addition to them being pale shades, then I have issues.

However, one thing I've noticed on those tests is that often times you (we'll) be able to see half of the number. For example, an 8 will look like a 3. There are other little things like that. So, if for any reason you're concerned about not passing the test, take that in mind.

Although I highly doubt that color blindness would ever be a reason for not employing a person.

p.s. Wow, did I just post about kind of cheating a color blindness test?

 

[Mentallic]

So you can tell the difference between red and green but can't pass the colour blindness tests? I don't understand this blindness very well. Is it impossible for you to notice the number on the page?

 

[rhody]

Hi, mkarger,

Sorry to hear about your red/green color sensitivity problem:

If you haven't been clinically diagnosed, this http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/tc/color-blindness-topic-overview" may be informative and of help to you.

Rhody...

 

[skeptic2]

I used to work with an electrical engineer who was color blind. He had trouble reading the color codes of resistors so he always checked them with an ohmmeter. Nowadays with the prevalence of surface mount devices, even that shouldn't be a problem. Can you discern the difference between the various color LEDs?

 

[RomLand]

I am also red green color blind. I had a problem some years ago while driving through Mississippi. The traffic lights had only two bulbs one above the the so that the red light would be on the top coming one way and on the bottom coming the other. I didn't whether I should stop or go. I was luky that my brother was in the car with me to tell my if I had the right of way.

I am a retired electrical engineer and never had a problem with color codes.

 

[minger]

So you can tell the difference between red and green but can't pass the colour blindness tests? I don't understand this blindness very well. Is it impossible for you to notice the number on the page?

Yea, weird, huh? I cannot for the life of my get the number. The last one I did for my most recent work physical had me literally guessing numbers. Some of the numbers, though, I could make out half, as in the example I mentioned above.

 

[mkarger]

So you can tell the difference between red and green but can't pass the colour blindness tests? I don't understand this blindness very well. Is it impossible for you to notice the number on the page?

I cannot see any numbers except for the ones that show up for red/green color blindness.

On occasion, I have a problem deciphering hues of brown from green and hues of purple from red. But that very rarely happens. I can see every color in the rainbow perfectly fine.

 

[mkarger]

Hi, mkarger,

Sorry to hear about your red/green color sensitivity problem:

If you haven't been clinically diagnosed, this http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/tc/color-blindness-topic-overview" may be informative and of help to you.

Rhody...

I've already been diagnosed by my eye doctor. She said that my brain has adapted to decipher different colors even though I am technically red/green color blind. Which means that I see color. It's just different from what everyone else sees.