Color, color, everywhere

I walked around campus feeling like a little kid today. This morning I got my new contacts and a surprise. After being told that a certain type of lens I was interested in wasn't available as a gas permeable lens, I found out today that there is a gp version. And, in fact the optometrist had ordered one for me. A completely red lens over my right eye will allow me to see true colors for the first time.

These lens allow those of us with "color vision deficiency" to see color as other people see it. I had no idea how intense many colors are, some of them literally popped out at me. Our school color is red and several people and signs were suddenly blindingly obvious. It became overwhelming at times and I had to close my eyes to give my brain a chance to rest. How could I have lived thirty seven years without seeing all the greens in a leaf or the varying colors in the sunset.? Swapping the lens out resulted in a much greyer world, colors don't jump out in the same way.

My coworkers' reactions to the lens varied. An artist friend noticed it pretty quickly but many people didn't notice at all. I think they noticed my expression of excitement and awe before they noticed that my eyes are two different colors with the lens in. Next week I am getting a brown tinted lens so that the contrast between my light blue eye and the red lens won't be so obvious.

I can't wait to go visit a museum or art gallery to truly explore how my perception of color has changed. In the meanwhile I will wear my sunglasses outdoors so that people aren't startled by my sudden fascination with the color of a building or shrub.