Dr. Don McPherson, a materials scientist, has specialized in creating eyewear for doctors to use as protection during laser surgery. These “surgeon glasses” feature rare earth iron embedded into the glasses which help absorb a significant amount of light. Wearing these glasses makes all the colors in the user’s environment appear to look more saturated, and makes the world appear “brighter” to the user; this is to help surgeons distinguish between tissue and blood during procedures. However, these glasses have become quite popular outside the operating room as they also make a great pair of sunglasses. McPherson even began to wear them casually as sunglasses, and one day, while wearing them during a game of ultimate Frisbee, an amazing discovery occurred.
McPherson’s friend, Michael Angell, asked to borrow his sunglasses and when Angell put on McPherson’s sunglasses he was astounded by what he saw as he looked through the lenses. Angell, who has been colorblind since birth, was able to see a pair of traffic cones nearby; the glasses allowed Angell to see the orange hue on the cones, and for the first time, Angell was able to distinguish the color of the cone from the surrounding concrete and grass. This is when McPherson had an epiphany; these glasses could server a broader purpose as they also have the ability to help those who are colorblind. Since McPherson knew little about colorblindness, he began to do extensive research on the condition, and then applied for a grant from the National Institutes of Health in order to begin conducting clinical trials.
McPherson partnered up with two of his colleagues, Tony Dykes and Andrew Schmeder, and founded EnChroma Labs; a company dedicated to developing sunglasses for those who suffer from color vision deficiency. These glasses have been on the market since December 2012, and feature sporty and trendy frames. The glasses have been refined throughout the years as the creators are constantly experimenting with new iterations. Unfortunately these glasses can treat only up to 80% of customers; for those individuals who suffer from a condition that results in missing an entire class of photo-pigments, either red or green, EnChroma glasses are currently not able to address. However this will probably change in the near future, as these glasses are constantly being improved upon. This year the company is planning on releasing an indoor version of the glasses, an online test which will help individuals analyze color blindness at home, and even a pediatric model that could help their condition and prevent it from progressing further. Interested in these glasses? EnChroma has a web presence, or talk to your local optometrist, as McPherson’s team has been recruiting optometrists and opticians around the country to test and share these glasses!