BERKELEY, Calif.—EnChroma, Inc., creators of glasses for color blindness, announced the launch of International Color Blindness Awareness Month. During the entire month of September, EnChroma and over 50 museums, libraries, school districts, state and federal parks, universities, tourism agencies, and Lions and Kiwanis Clubs will make social media posts and publish other communications designed to educate their members, students, communities and/or followers about Color Vision Deficiency (CVD, or “color blindness”). “We are pleased that so many esteemed institutions have joined EnChroma to promote International Color Blindness Month to educate the world about the impact color vision deficiency has on people at work, in school, and in fully appreciating art or the colors of nature,” said Erik Ritchie, CEO of EnChroma.

“More awareness will result in fewer daily frustrations for color blind people and more accessibility,” he said. Color blindness affects 1 in 12 men (8 percent) and 1 in 200 women (.5 percent); 350 million people worldwide. While people with normal color vision see over one million shades of color, those with Color Vision Deficiency only see an estimated 10 percent of hues and shades. Common color confusions include green and yellow, gray and pink, purple and blue, and red can appear brown.
 
The 50+ organizations supporting International Color Blindness Month include:
 
● Georgia O'Keeffe Museum, NM
● Boston University, Mass.
● Faber-Castell, Germany
● North Carolina State University, N.C.
● Birmingham Museum of Art, Ala.
● Anythink Libraries, Colo.
● Museum of Contemporary Art Denver
 
EnChroma is encouraging other organizations and individuals to promote color blindness awareness anytime in September by posting to social media, websites and other forums using any of the templates located here and/or images showing the color blind view of various settings here.
 
EnChroma also advocates for “color accessibility” through its EnChroma Color Accessibility Program, in which over 150 organizations participate. The program helps public venues such as schools, state parks, libraries, museums, tourism bureaus, resorts and other organizations loan EnChroma glasses to color blind students and guests to help make schoolwork that involves color, colorful exhibits, attractions and/or experiences accessible to the color blind.