Common Issues & Solutions
Coping mechanisms to deal with color vision deficiency in everyday life. Practical tips — most situations have simple workarounds.
About This Guide
Please realize that throughout many of these answers you will see something most have in common. Many say to consult a friend or relative after it answers how to cope with the situation by yourself. You are not alone — most everyday challenges have practical workarounds that you can learn and rely on.
Determining whether a fruit or vegetable is ripe.
Normal Vision
Deuteranope
Coping Mechanism
Luckily, we have five senses so I recommend resorting to the touch or smell sense. When the fruit or vegetable is too hard, it is probably not ripe. If the fruit is too soft, it may be too ripe. As people learned to tell if a fruit or vegetable is ripe with normal color vision, you can learn through trial and error with touch. When fruit is ripe, you can usually smell it through the skin.
Is that traffic light red or yellow? Is that a blinking yellow or red light?
Coping Mechanism
Most people use the location of the light. You will have to memorize that the red light is at the top, the yellow light is in the middle, and the green light is at the bottom. There are also horizontal traffic lights — the red light is on the left, the yellow light in the middle, the green on the right. Driving at night is a different story — approach the light cautiously until you can tell where the light is located.
Comprehending a weather forecast graph or map.
Coping Mechanism
If you are by yourself, it is recommended that you look at the written details about the weather and not attempt to comprehend the colored map. If you have a friend nearby, ask them whether or not there is severe weather over your area.
Identifying a sunburn, rash, etc.
Coping Mechanism
When pertaining to a sunburn, it is recommended that you apply sunscreen before going into the sun for long periods of time. A technique I use is applying pressure to my skin where I believe I may be getting sun with two fingers and seeing if it appears pale after removing them. If it does, more than likely you are getting sunburned. Concerning rashes and other skin irritations, I recommend getting a close friend or relative to tell you.
A friend says to locate something by color, such as "Hey, look at that red berry on the tree."
Coping Mechanism
Ask them to point in the direction so you get a better sense of its location. Then ask them to describe other characteristics about the object such as size and shape.
Going to buy clothes and dressing yourself.
Coping Mechanism
Ask a close friend or relative to go shopping with you, or ask the employees of the retail store to help you. When dressing yourself, ask friends and family if an outfit matches. Once you find an outfit that matches, I recommend wearing the same outfit in the future. Trying to match things by oneself is difficult if not impossible.
Cooking food that needs to be cooked throughout.
Coping Mechanism
Review a good source on how long something should cook and then use a timer. If there is a friend around, ask them if the meat is thoroughly cooked. Using a meat thermometer is a safe method as most tell you the temperature at which most meats are done.
Picking out colors for the house (paint, curtains, cabinets, etc).
Coping Mechanism
Always have a friend or relative with you. I recommend not doing it on your own because it is easy to make poor color choices without knowing it.
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