ADS Sports EyewearIf reds and greens have always looked muddy or hard to tell apart, color blind glasses promise something remarkable: colors that suddenly "pop." Brands like EnChroma and Pilestone have made viral videos of people tearing up the first time they wear a pair. But do color blind glasses really work, how much do they cost, and are they right for your type of color blindness? This guide answers all of it in plain English.
Roughly 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women have some form of color vision deficiency — most commonly red-green color blindness. Color blind glasses (also called color-correction or color-correcting glasses) are the most popular non-medical way to enhance color perception, and they come in outdoor, indoor and full-prescription versions.
How do color blind glasses work?
Most red-green color blindness is caused by red and green cone cells in the eye whose light-sensitivity ranges overlap too much, so the brain receives muddled signals. Color blind glasses work by using a precision "notch" filter that blocks a narrow band of light exactly where that overlap happens. Removing those wavelengths increases the contrast between the red and green signals, so the colors your brain receives are more separated — and therefore more distinct.
How do EnChroma glasses work?
EnChroma glasses use a patented multi-notch filter built into the lens coating that targets several overlap points across the spectrum at once. It's the same core principle — remove the confusing wavelengths — tuned specifically for common red-green deficiencies (deutan and protan types).
Do color blind glasses really work?
For many people with mild-to-moderate red-green color blindness (anomalous trichromacy), yes — colors look noticeably richer and easier to tell apart, especially outdoors in bright light. For people with severe or complete color blindness (dichromacy or monochromacy), the effect is usually small or absent, because there aren't two overlapping signals to separate. The honest answer: they work well for some, a little for others, and not at all for a few. That's exactly why we offer a free consult before you buy.
Glasses that let you see color
You'll see color blind glasses marketed as "glasses that let you see color" or "glasses that fix color blindness." A fairer description is glasses that make certain colors easier to distinguish. The wow-factor reactions are real for the right candidates — but managing expectations up front is the difference between a happy customer and a returned pair.
How much do color blind glasses cost?
The short answer: color blind glasses cost roughly $30 to $430 depending on the brand, the lens technology and whether you need a prescription. Here's how the popular options compare.
| Option | Typical price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Pilestone & value brands | $30 – $100 | Trying color-correction affordably |
| EnChroma outdoor | $200 – $350 | Bright outdoor color boost |
| EnChroma indoor / hybrid | $300 – $430 | Screens, indoor lighting, work |
| Prescription color blind glasses | Add ~$100 – $200 | Anyone who wears Rx glasses |
How much are EnChroma glasses?
EnChroma glasses cost about $200–$350 for outdoor styles and up to roughly $430 for indoor/hybrid and premium frames. Prescription EnChroma lenses add to that. Prices shift with frame choice and any sales, so ask us for current pricing before you buy.
Why do color blind glasses cost that much?
The price reflects the engineered lens filter — precisely tuned coatings applied across many layers — not the frame. Cheaper pairs use simpler tints that can help a little; premium pairs use sharper, multi-notch filters designed for specific deficiency types.
Are cheaper color blind glasses worth it?
Value brands can be a smart, low-risk way to find out whether color-correction helps you at all before investing in a premium prescription pair. If a $40 pair gives you a noticeable lift, a precision lens will usually do more. If it does nothing, that's useful information too.
Choosing color blind glasses for your type
The best color blind glasses for you depend on which type of color blindness you have and where you'll use them. Red-green types (deutan and protan) are the primary target of today's lenses; blue-yellow (tritan) types are less commonly served.
Red-green color blind glasses
The vast majority of color-correction lenses — including most EnChroma and Pilestone models — are built for red-green color blindness. If you struggle to tell reds, greens, browns and oranges apart, this is your category. See our red-green colorblindness guide →
Prescription color blind glasses
Yes — you can get prescription color blind glasses that correct your eyesight and enhance color at the same time, so you don't have to choose between seeing sharply and seeing color. Tell us your prescription and we'll lay out the options.
Best color blind glasses: how to decide
There's no single "best" pair — the right choice balances your deficiency type, indoor vs. outdoor use, whether you need a prescription, and budget. A quick, free consult narrows 20 options down to the two or three worth your money.
Indoor vs. outdoor color blind glasses
Outdoor lenses are darker and shine in bright sunlight; indoor/hybrid lenses are lighter and tuned for screens and artificial light. Many people who want an everyday pair choose a hybrid, or own one of each.