Color Vision Deficiency Survey in Anatomic Pathology

Area of Science:

• Medical Diagnostics
• Histopathology
• Ophthalmology

Background:

• Color vision deficiency (CVD) affects a significant portion of the population.
• Pathologists and cytotechnologists rely heavily on accurate color-based stain interpretation.
• Understanding the challenges faced by CVD professionals is crucial for diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the primary challenges and advantages experienced by color vision-deficient (CVD) pathologists and cytotechnologists.
• To explore the accommodations and strategies employed by these professionals.
• To assess the impact of digital pathology on CVD professionals.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous online survey was distributed to practicing pathologists and cytotechnologists.
• The survey focused on their experiences with various histological and cytological stains.
• Responses from 377 participants were analyzed, with 23 identifying as color vision deficient.

Main Results:

• Eight CVD professionals reported advantages, such as enhanced morphology appreciation.
• Nineteen CVD professionals reported disadvantages, particularly with identifying eosinophils and acid-fast bacilli.
• Difficulties were noted with specific stains (e.g., PAS, Giemsa) and cellular components (e.g., RBCs, nucleoli).
• Most CVD professionals found digital slides comparable to glass slides in difficulty.

Conclusions:

• CVD pathologists and cytotechnologists develop effective slide-viewing approaches.
• Digital pathology presents potential avenues to assist CVD professionals in stain interpretation.
• Further research into digital tools for CVD support in pathology is warranted.