Certified Ophthalmic Assistant Practice Exam

What test plates are used to assess color vision?

1. Ishihara

2. Hardy-Rand-Ritter

3. QC Test Plates

4. Farnsworth D-15

The correct answer is: Ishihara

The Ishihara test plates are specifically designed for the assessment of color vision, particularly to identify red-green color deficiencies, which are among the most common types of color vision impairment. The plates consist of a series of dots in various colors that form numbers or shapes visible to individuals with normal color vision but may be obscured to those with color deficiencies. This method is widely recognized and utilized in clinical settings due to its simplicity and effectiveness in diagnosing color vision deficiencies. Each plate is crafted to elicit a specific response from individuals with typical vision versus those with color deficiencies, making it a reliable tool for practitioners looking to evaluate a patient’s color discrimination capabilities. While other options such as the Hardy-Rand-Ritter plates, QC Test Plates, and Farnsworth D-15 also assess color vision, each has its own specific use cases, target conditions, or quality control processes that make them suitable for different contexts in color vision testing.