How to Cope With Being Color Blind

Most cases of color blindness are something the individual was born with, so learning how to cope is essential.

Color blindness, or the inability to distinguish between certain colors like red and green, can create problems for those that have the condition. While it is not dangerous and many people live perfectly normal lives with the condition, color blindness can make certain aspects of life difficult. Since studies indicate that 10% of the men in the world are color blind, learning about living with color blindness is important. If you have the condition, the good news is that there are several things you can do to make day-to-day life simpler even with color blindness.

Things You'll Need

• Closet organizational system

Instructions

How to Cope with Being Color Blind

1. Organize your closet by color. This will make it easier to find clothes that match. Enlist the help of someone you trust to help you organize your outfits so that getting dressed in the morning is no longer difficult.

2. 

   Learn to distinguish important symbols, such as traffic signals, by shape and location, rather than color. For instance, if you cannot distinguish between red and green, you must learn that the top signal on a traffic light means stop and the bottom signal means go.

3. Pay attention to the actions of others. If you are in a situation where you need to choose the green item, for example, watch which item the person in front of you chooses.

4. Avoid situations where you will be required to ask for help when you would rather not. For instance, purchase luggage that is in a color you can distinguish, and consider putting a strap or belt on it to make it easier to judge which piece is yours when you are collecting it at the baggage claim.

5. Discuss your condition with those around you, including family members, your boss, and friends. This will clear up any potential confusion that could occur because of your color blindness.

Tips & Warnings

• If your child has color blindness, be sure to discuss the condition with his teacher. The teacher can make the classroom environment friendly to the child by avoiding contrasts that he cannot see.

• Avoid putting yourself in a situation where your color blindness could put you or those around you in danger. For instance, you cannot be an airline pilot if you are color blind, as there are too many lights and controls that you could miss with your condition.

Resources

• Web MD - Color Blindness
• Online Color Blindness Test