Kenton Lions help MLJ Library secure color correcting glasses

Libraries are often gateways to new experiences.  Now the MLJ Library is offering patrons a chance to see the world in full color.

Color blindness, also known as color vision deficiency, affects about 350 million people worldwide, primarily males, Per the National Eye Institute.  The condition – for which there is no cure – limits someone’s ability to differentiate colors and see brightness and shades of specific hues.

Sam Norris, director of the Mary Lou Johnson Hardin County District Library, said the Kenton Lions Club helped the library secure the most common color correcting glasses from Color My World, a color-corrective glasses company based in Indiana.  The kit consists of 3 specialized light filtering glasses a test sheet and simple instructions.  The glasses that use specific light filters on the lenses that make colors easier to differentiate, primarily red and green as it is the most common form of deficiency along with an Ishihara test.  This printed sheet is a color vision test for detection of red–green color deficiencies. It was named after its designer, Shinobu Ishihara.

Generally, color-corrective glasses can range in price from $100 to $400, depending on type and strength. Norris said this could be a real barrier for those without insurance or means to pay.  These lenses will give a glimpse of a part of the world that most of us take for granted.

He said the library is by no means a replacement for seeking assistance from an eye care professional.  If we can encourage people to try the glasses and get a “new” experience that is a win.  Some people may not even realize they have a color deficiency or have means to visit a doctor for something they have “learned to live with”.

“We hope this will allow people to ‘self-test’ and literally see for themselves if they need to visit a doctor for a follow up,” Norris said. There are online tests but due to the limits of some computer monitors as well as not having the expert advice of a doctor, it is best to take a comprehensive, in person, Ishihara test.

To learn more about the new addition to the library stop by the Reference Desk at the library. To learn about other amazing items and events please stop in or visit mljlibrary.org.