3D Printing
News Videos Newsletter Contact us
Home / News / UAE Researchers Print Color Blindness Glasses
qidi

UAE Researchers Print Color Blindness Glasses

August 18, 2022

Researchers from Khalifa University in Abu Dhabi have successfully printed glasses for aiding people living with color blindness.

Using photopolymer resins, they printed the lenses with dyes added, and increased the optical efficiency when compared with currently available offerings.

You can see some examples of the printed lenses in the image below.

Lenses for dichromacy.
Lenses for dichromacy (Image credit: Khalifa University)

Read on to know more about how AM is helping people with color blindness.

Color Blindness

Color blindness, also known as Color Vision Shortage (CVD) is a condition that causes the decreased ability to see color or differences in color. It is most commonly caused by defects in the cone cells in the retina, which mediate color vision. This can vary in severity and can cause different losses in color.

One one side, people with total color blindness (monochromacy) only see the world in hues of grey.

More commonly, people with the condition experience loss of two colors (dichromacy) with loss of red/green from their vision being the most common.

Red/green dichromacy affects up to 8% of males and 0.5% of females.

While there is no cure for color blindness, certain color tasks in life can be aided by use of optical devices (lenses) with various tints and filters to allow certain colors through and block others.

These lenses will typically help to improve discrimination between colors, in some cases will help the wearer to identify the numbers in a color blindness test.

The research team has designed and tested lenses for people with the more common red/green variety, as well as the second most common, yellow/blue dichromacy.

Higher Efficiency

While there are currently glasses and lenses available for people with these types of color blindness, they are apparently uncomfortable and not especially fun or attractive to wear.
By printing the lenses and frames, the researchers have been aiming to produce a pair of color blindness glasses that are both optically functional and also comfortable to wear, more like regular glasses.

lenses and frames
Lenses and frames, printed separately. (Image credit: Khalifa University)

The lenses have been made by using a clear resin combined with 2 wavelength-filtering dyes to create a tinted effect.

One type of lens was designed to block the unwanted wavelengths for wearers with red/green dichromacy, and the other was for blocking undesirable wavelengths for those with yellow/blue dichromacy. During tests, both groups reported that the glasses were effective.

“Our results show that 3D printing has no effect on the wavelength filtering properties of the dye. In fact, the dye is bound to the resin and 3D printed, so it remains unchanged,” said Dr Haider Butt, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Khalifa University.

This is good news and signifies that, from a process perspective, there should be no issues arising from dyes mixing in the resin. In fact, this process was seen as an improvement.

“When we compared the optical performance of our glasses to commercial glasses for color blindness, our results show that our 3D printed glasses are more selective than commercial glasses in filtering unwanted wavelengths. They have great potential in the treatment of color blindness, and their ease of manufacture and customization means they can be tailored to each patient, custom made.”

More optically efficient, and more comfortable glasses, are potentially good news for many people all over the world whose color tasks are impeded by the condition.

The research team has authored a paper, titled “Development of 3D-Printed Glasses for Color Vision Deficiency” in the journal of Advanced Engineering Materials, which can be accessed at this link.

Share:
WhatsApp Twitter Facebook LinkedIn Buffer Reddit E-mail
About the author | Phillip Keane
Phillip is an aerospace engineer from UK. He is a graduate of Coventry University (UK), International Space University (France) and Nanyang Technological University (Singapore), where he studied Advanced Manufacturing at the Singapore Centre for 3D Printing.
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Latest posts

HeyGears Introduces Multi-Material 3D Printed Dentures

HeyGears demonstrated its Multi-Material Fusion resin 3D printed dentures at LMT LAB DAY Chicago 2025. The technology uses Digital Light Processing (DLP) photopolymerization... read more »

Dental
HeyGears Introduces Multi-Material 3D Printed Dentures at Chicago Lab Event

3D Printed Modular Column “Duality of Skin and Core” Featured at Venice Biennale 2025

A 3D printed modular column titled "Duality of Skin and Core" is currently on display at the Venice Biennale 2025 as part of... read more »

Art
3D Printed Modular Column "Duality of Skin and Core" Featured at Venice Biennale 2025

Bentley Unveils EXP 15 Design Concept Featuring 3D Printed Titanium Finishes

Bentley Motors has revealed its EXP 15 concept vehicle at the opening of its new design studio in Crewe. The five-meter concept model... read more »

Automotive
Bentley Unveils EXP 15 Design Concept Featuring 3D Printed Titanium Finishes

COBOD Launches Multifunctional Construction Robot with Shotcrete 3D Printing Capabilities

COBOD International has introduced what it describes as the first commercially available multifunctional construction robot, developed in collaboration with Technische Universität Braunschweig. The... read more »

Construction
COBOD Launches Multifunctional Construction Robot with Shotcrete 3D Printing Capabilities

MIT Engineers Develop Implantable Device for Emergency Diabetes Treatment

MIT researchers have developed an implantable device that can automatically release glucagon when blood sugar levels drop dangerously low in Type 1 diabetes... read more »

Medical
MIT Engineers Develop Implantable Device for Emergency Diabetes Treatment

University of Pennsylvania Researchers Develop Carbon-Capturing Concrete

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have created a new type of concrete that captures carbon dioxide while maintaining structural integrity. The material... read more »

Construction

Dutch 3D Printing Startup Novenda Technologies Raises $6.1M for Dental Manufacturing Platform

Dutch startup Novenda Technologies has secured $6.1 million in Series A funding to advance its multi-material 3D printing platform for dental products. The... read more »

Dental

Singapore Startup Creates Limited Edition 3D-Printed Collectibles from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Singapore-based startup Unigons has launched a limited collection of 3D-printed Merlion figurines made from recycled plastic bottles. The company produced 60 pieces of... read more »

News
Singapore Startup Creates Limited Edition 3D-Printed Collectibles from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Social

  • Facebook Facebook 3D Printing
  • Linkedin Linkedin 3D Printing
Join our newsletter

Our newsletter is free & you can unsubscribe any time.

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Fashion
  • Medical
  • Military
  • QIDI Tech Q1 Pro

    • - Print size: 245 x 245 x 245 mm
    • - 600mm/s max speed
    More details »
    $449.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • Snapmaker Artisan Premium 3-in-1

    • - Print size: 400 x 400 x 400 mm
    • - comes with enclosure
    More details »
    $2,999.00 Snapmaker
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Plus4

    • - Print size: 305 x 305 x 280 mm
    • - print temperature of 370°C
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now
  • QIDI Tech X-Max 3

    • - Print size: 325 x 325 x 315 mm
    • - fully enclosed
    More details »
    $799.00 QIDI Store
    Buy Now

Company Information

  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing

Blog

  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal

Featured Reviews

  • Anycubic Photon Mono M5s
  • Creality Ender 5 S1
  • The Mole 3D Scanner
  • Flashforge Creator 3 Pro

Featured Industries

  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
2025 — Strikwerda en Dehue
  • Home
  • Join our mailing list
  • Contact us
Blog
  • Latest News
  • Use Cases
  • Reviews
  • 3D Printers
  • 3D Printing Metal
Featured Industries
  • Automotive
  • Aerospace
  • Construction
  • Dental
  • Environmental
  • Electronics
  • Medical
  • Military
  • Fashion
  • Art
Company Information
  • What is 3D Printing?
  • Contact us
  • Join our mailing list
  • Advertise with us
  • Media Kit
  • Nederland 3D Printing