It’s autumn! That means trees in many parts of the United States are turning vibrant shades of red, orange, and yellow. But not everyone can see all these hues. In the U.S., about 13 million people have colorblindness. This condition makes it difficult to distinguish between certain colors, like green and red. As a result, colors of fall foliage can appear muted, gray, or brown. Recently, Virginia State Parks installed special viewfinders that help make colors pop.
The viewfinders contain EnChroma lenses. These lenses filter out certain wavelengths, or colors, of light that tend to overlap, making reds and greens appear more distinct and vivid. This makes it easier for people with red-green colorblindness to tell the difference between these colors.
As of 2024, color-correcting viewfinders have been installed in all 43 of Virginia’s state parks. Visitors love the change. For many, it’s like seeing fall for the first time.