Sushree Sangeeta Kar, Manju Agrawala
BACKGROUND Normal human beings are trichromates and can appreciate three primary colours which are red, green and blue. The inability to appreciate colour properly is known as colour blindness or colour vision deficiency. Unless challenged with situations where appreciation of normal colour is specifically required, colour vision deficiency goes unnoticed. Medical profession is one of such professions where appreciation of proper colour is very essential. But many of the doctors are not aware of their colour vision deficiency. Early detection would definitely help them in their profession. The present study was undertaken to screen out colour vision deficiency amongst the medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was carried out among the 1st and 2nd semester medical students of SCB Medical College and Hospital (n = 226) from January 2017 to April 2017 with the help of Ishihara chart. The polychromatic plates in Ishihara chart were shown to the participants for the period of 3 seconds. They were asked to read the number or trace the winding lines in each plate. A person with colour vision deficiency confuses certain colours and will read a different number from a normal person on the same plate. Such observations were noted carefully. RESULTS After careful screening, it was noted that among the study population (n = 226), 14 were colour deficient (8.91% of male study population). None of the female participants were found to be colour deficient. CONCLUSION Medical students have to deal with colours in all stages in their career. The study helps the subjects to be aware of their limitations. Alternate means of observation should be encouraged that puts emphasis on tissue architecture rather than colour. They can be guided to take up specialties that do not require accurate colour perception skills. Many unnecessary litigations and medico legal cases can therefore be avoided. This would benefit the medical students and the society at large.
