3D Printing Visual Aids for Color Blind Patients

Abstract

Color Blindness is a health problem that affects 8% of males and 0.5% of females of the world's population. Color blind patients have many obstacles in their daily life. Color blindness is due to defective or absent cones in the eye Over the years various method have been used for aiding color blind patients. Such methods include gene therapy, use of optoelectronic glasses, and use of filters for glasses and contact lenses. Out of the previously mentioned methods, using filters is the most common. Filters mainly prevent specific wavelengths from reaching the eye. These values are specified based on the wavelengths cause difficulty in distinguishing between shades of colors. Using them will provide clearer vision. Blockage range for red green color blindness is (520 – 580) nm and it is (440 – 500) nm for blue green patients. Filters could be used for tinting both glasses and lenses. Optoelectronic glasses are an expensive form of advanced aid. It is based on recording videos then editing the colors and displaying it to the user. Patients' preferred option is Using filters as an aid, this provides clearer vision and acceptable prices. This project used 3D printing technique (SLA) to fabricate contact lenses for color blind patients. Produced contact lenses were tainted by Alcohol inks of three colors: pink, red, and yellow. The optical and mechanical properties of the printed 3D lenses were tested in both. In addition, the fabricated lenses were subjected to a biocompatibility test. The results showed that both pink (560 nm) and red (520 nm) tinted 3D printed lenses provided wavelength blocking in the intended red green blockage range, but the yellow didn't (400 nm). In addition to that, lenses stored in water and commercial solution showed no leaking. Water retention values achieved by the samples were higher than 38%, all samples showed hydrophilic nature and mechanical properties were also calculated. The cytotoxicity test showed lenses to be safe. In addition, a simple economical study was done for such a commercial product, and the estimated profit achieved by this project is estimated to be 84% of if the lenses sold with $50.

Date of Award	Apr 2022
Original language	American English