An Evaluation to Identify Best Printing Process and Substrate for Newly Developed Color Vision Deficiency Diagnosing Tool

Color vision deficiency (also known as color-blindness) is a defect in 'color perception' by the eyes. The Ishihara pseudo isochromatic plates is widely used to detect color vision deficiency by Optometrists and Ophthalmologists in India & other developing countries. This testing tool is expensive and its print quality & paper durability gets deteriorated due to exposure to various atmospheric conditions and temperatures while using them in vision screening camps. Due to this limitation, millions of children in India are left undiagnosed for color-blindness in their school. The aim of our paper is to make an affordable, highly reliable and extremely durable color vision deficiency testing tool (Dalton's PIP) which has the capacity to test mass population in a minimal time.

This paper presents results from an experimental analysis of various printing substrates and printing processes and finding the best substrate and process to make newly designed Dalton's PIP color vision deficiency testing tool. The analysis involved experimenting various substrates and processes for durability, reliability, low impact scratch resistance test, repeatability and cost effectiveness. Experimental results showed that color vision deficiency testing tool (Dalton's PIP) designed could be best printed under dry electro photography printing process on synthetic polyester (PET) film 200 microns substrate. This study would be highly beneficial for future researches on the printing requirements for medical grade tests.