Introduction

The Farnsworth Dichotomous Test for Color Blindness – Panel D-15 is simple to administer color vision test that allows one to test for tritan defects, as well as the protan and deutan defects tested for with Ischihara plates.

Indications

Patient with suspected optic nerve damage or color vision defect.  Young males.

Contra-Indications

Significantly reduced visual acuities are a relative contra-indication.

Materials

1. Farnsworth Dichotomous Test for Color Blindness – Panel D-15
2. Recording sheet

Setup

1. Open the test holder, and place all the caps color side up on a table top.  Mix them up.
2. Ask the subject to place the cap closest in color to the reference cap color next to the reference cap.
3. Next, have the subject place the cap closest in color to the last cap they placed next to the last cap they placed.  Repeat this process until all the caps are ordered.
4. Place the test lid on, turn over the holder, and record the order that the subject placed the caps on the recording sheet.  “Connect the dots” to interpret the test.

Results

A normal test is recorded when the subject sequentially orders the caps from 1-15.

Should the caps not be ordered from 1-15, the plot of the order should reveal the defect type.

References

None