ENG 1 Medical & color blindess

[The Other Side]

Hello All.

I'm A Canadian citizen living in Canada, I'm in the process of having my RYA Yachtmaster certification commercially endorsed as I'm working my way towards becoming a professional seafarer in the Yachting industry. After some research on the ENG 1 Medical requirements I've realized that I have a vision condition that may cause me some challenges passing this medical , simply put I'm color blind to some degree.

As part of my standard yearly medical exam I was tested by my optician here in Canada, She used the standard Ishihara color test (the circles & dots) and confirmed my vision condition, I asked her about any other vision tests I could take that could accurately measure my deficiency and possibly clear a path to the ENG 1 with no restrictions ? She did not know of any here in Canada or US ?

Through my research I've identified a vision test called Color Assessment and Diagnosis (CAD) which if I pass would possibly clear a path to the ENG 1 with no vision restrictions. Apparently this test is only offered in the UK.

Does anyone have any info, advise, experience...etc. on how to go about this ?

[Hanksy]

The RYA are pretty good at giving advice and answering questions for members and professionals. Send them an email or call them and they'll get you sorted

[The Other Side]

Originally Posted by Hanksy

The RYA are pretty good at giving advice and answering questions for members and professionals. Send them an email or call them and they'll get you sorted

I sent them an email this week, they said the appropriate person will get back to me. I'm eagerly awaiting their reply.

[gstepler]

Look up Farnsworth Lantern Test (FALANT) on the internet. I had a similar experience prior to joining the US Navy; couldn't identify most of the numbers in the flip book due to my type of color blindness, but could easily discern RED/WHITE/GREEN lights of this test. Qualified me for unrestricted service including aviation, submarines and surface ships.

[Stewie12]

Agree with contacting the RYA. Best way to go.

[Jack C]

I had the same problem. Could pass the Falant online. But could not find an optician with Falant lantern.
I found an optician who tested me to establish that I could distinguish between Green, Red, White and Yellow.

He wrote me a letter which was accepted by the Israel testing authority.

In retrospect I should have asked him to add blue. Police use blue.

The Ishihara test does not seem to test degrees of colour blindness. I believe 20% of all men have some color level of color blindness.

Ishihara is used because its cheap to administer. Just buy the book. Falant test needs a lantern.

If pilots just have to pass Falant then it's good enough for sailors.
Worth taking the Falant online. If you pass get tested by an optometrist. I found one who had a skippers license. He was happy to oblige.

[kas_1611]

Originally Posted by gstepler

Look up Farnsworth Lantern Test (FALANT) on the internet. I had a similar experience prior to joining the US Navy; couldn't identify most of the numbers in the flip book due to my type of color blindness, but could easily discern RED/WHITE/GREEN lights of this test. Qualified me for unrestricted service including aviation, submarines and surface ships.

Agreed. I was diagnosed as Red/Green colour blind at 11 using the Ishihara Colour Test (which I fail 25 out of 25, even the ones you are supposed to be able to see if you are R/G I can't see!!). However when I had my offshore medical recently the Dr suggested the Lantern Test as given to BA Pilots under the CAA rules. I passed with flying (excuse the pun) colours with 100% recognition.

As I see it Ishihara is less about colour determination and more about pattern recognition so if you fail that ask for the Lantern Test as this is more pertinent to navigation as that is what we are actually trying to determine; is that a Port Channel mark or a Starboard????

[caffel]

In addition to the feedback above you may want to investigate the color assisting contact lenses that are now available. 'colormax.org' specifically designed for the Ishihara test.
My wife used to do the color testing at Wills Eye in Philadelphia and reports that this is accepted for US pilot's licensing.

[Singularity]

One more plug for the Farnsworth Lantern if such is acceptable for the OP's medical. If it's acceptable, seek out a clinician in your area with one of these old devices (one might need to travel to find someone with one). They quit making them long ago and they're worth their weight in gold (notably the Farnsworth flashlight is not the same thing and is not a good substitute).

Regarding color-correcting lenses and FAA, they are specifically not allowed. Anyone would-be US pilot with a color vision problem needs to keep it to themselves, get a Lantern test first thing, never mention it again after passing (much online about this).

[DennisDW]

As a sailing optometrist I can add a bit, I think.
Farnsworth is good. Ishihara is not pass/fail. You have to identify the fail number. That is to say that color normals may see "57" and R/G deficient see "21". The only place you can get a definitive color deficit analysis is a research setting or optometry/ophthalmology school. They will have an Anomaloscope.

A poster was correct in saying that men have some degree of a red green deficit. The number was wrong though. It's over 90%. Guys can't dress themselves. Really.

Get the paperwork from RYA. It likely has a vision section and may only a few questions like acuities and visual fields. It probably has a line that says "color normal? yes/no, circle one". Maybe if it's real intense they ask which test was administered. I've filled out hundreds of vision certifications and found nothing that specific.

By the way, only a rod monochromat would miss all the isihara plates and that person would have very, very poor overall vision. It's incredibly rare too.
Good luck,
Dennis

[Mike Banks]

No--but here is a trick you can try. I had a friend who was about to lose his job as a wire man because he could not read colour codes in the looms we were installing. I made him up a set of viewing plates out of filters and engraved on each filter its colour. All of them fitted on to a ring which he could hold in one hand while working with the other or hang it around his neck on a breakable lanyard.

Some colours he could tell apart, others he could not, If the coloured wire of which he was unsure turned grey under the filter of the colour he suspected it was--that filter was NOT the colour of the wire,. When the wire looked identical when compared to the part of it under the filter--the colour marked on the filter was the colour of the wire.

So--for less than twenty bucks--he was able to wire a test frame. Job saved.

[MickB]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

No--but here is a trick you can try. I had a friend who was about to lose his job as a wire man because he could not read colour codes in the looms we were installing. I made him up a set of viewing plates out of filters and engraved on each filter its colour. All of them fitted on to a ring which he could hold in one hand while working with the other or hang it around his neck on a breakable lanyard.

Some colours he could tell apart, others he could not, If the coloured wire of which he was unsure turned grey under the filter of the colour he suspected it was--that filter was NOT the colour of the wire,. When the wire looked identical when compared to the part of it under the filter--the colour marked on the filter was the colour of the wire.

So--for less than twenty bucks--he was able to wire a test frame. Job saved.

I was diagnosed complete Red/Green, partial Blue/Yellow colour blind in the 70's, I failed the book, seeing one number which is only visible to those that are Red/Green colour blind, I also failed the lantern test. I realised this could be restrictive so I got hold if a copy of the card out if the book and memorised what number appeared on each of the 16 pages, that came in handy but I had some difficulty with traffic lights (although much less when they converted to LED) and could not make out channel markers. June 2019 I had my lenses replaced due to cataracts, I can now see the channel markers. But maybe they have converted to LED?

[muttnik]

Originally Posted by DennisDW

Maybe if it's real intense they ask which test was administered. I've filled out hundreds of vision certifications and found nothing that specific.

From mention of the CAD and the listed test locations only being in the UK I suspect The OP has already reviewed the requirements which are in Appendix A here (Don't be distracted by mention of fishing in the first part, this is linked from the top level requirements doc here).

It's actually the MCA one needs to talk to about this (it's a government certification rather than a recreational one) but I'm sure the RYA can point you there.

[paul2884]

Originally Posted by Mike Banks

No--but here is a trick you can try. I had a friend who was about to lose his job as a wire man because he could not read colour codes in the looms we were installing. I made him up a set of viewing plates out of filters and engraved on each filter its colour. All of them fitted on to a ring which he could hold in one hand while working with the other or hang it around his neck on a breakable lanyard.

Some colours he could tell apart, others he could not, If the coloured wire of which he was unsure turned grey under the filter of the colour he suspected it was--that filter was NOT the colour of the wire,. When the wire looked identical when compared to the part of it under the filter--the colour marked on the filter was the colour of the wire.

So--for less than twenty bucks--he was able to wire a test frame. Job saved.

That's a good workaround but in the UK he wouldn't have got the job in the first place, R/G colour blindness is one of the first things they check.

I remember being told of an old electrician, the first job on a morning for his apprentice was to tie knots in all the black cables as he could tell them apart (colour coding on cable then was Red, Black and Green)

[The Other Side]

Thanks to all who replied to my tread, are there Eye clinics that do the lantern test here in Canada ? I checked here locally in New Brunswick with no luck.