Cool white, Ultralume, and Vita-Lite fluorescent lamps for use in color vision testing

Thirty-one normal and 20 color vision-deficient persons were tested with the Hardy-Rand-Rittler (HRR) Pseudoisochromatic Plates, Farnsworth's D-15 and 100-Hue tests, and the Davidson & Hemmendinger (D & H) Color Rule using Vita-Lite, Ultralume, and Cool White fluorescent lamps to determine their usefulness for color vision measurement. The persons with deficient color vision were classified with a Nagel anomaloscope. The Macbeth Easel lamp was the reference for determining relative lamp performance. No normal was misclassified with any of the lamps. Scores with the Vita-Lite lamp were qualitatively and quantitatively most similar to those with the Macbeth lamp. The Ultralume gave intermediate results, and the Cool White was the least satisfactory substitute. Norms for the metameric D & H Color Rule for each lamp were different, which prevented intercomparisons. Best separation of the scores of deficient from normal persons with the D & H Rule occurred with the Macbeth and Vita-Lite lamps. Better performance with the Vita-Lite and Ultralume lamps can be expected from protans with the HRR and 100-Hue Tests and poorer performances from deutans on the HRR tests than with the standard Macbeth Lamp. The Cool White lamp was judged an unsuitable substitute for color vision testing.