The Ishihara test is used to assess what?

• A. Color vision
• B. Depth perception
• C. Visual acuity
• D. Night vision

Answer: (A)

Color vision is what the Ishihara test checks. It uses plates of colored dots arranged so that someone with normal color perception can pick out a number or pattern, while someone with a color deficiency may see a different number or nothing recognizable at all. This test is especially used to screen for red-green color blindness, the most common type. It doesn’t assess depth perception, visual acuity, or night vision, which involve other visual functions. It’s a quick screening tool, and if an abnormal result appears, additional, more detailed testing can determine the exact deficiency.