Colorblind visitors will be able to better see the natural landscape of Rockville’s Croydon Creek Nature Center with the recent installation of a new, specialized viewfinder that allows the viewing of a wider range of colors.
“This initiative exemplifies Rockville’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion within our parks and services,” Rockville Recreation and Parks Director Tara Stewart said.
The new adaptation, featuring EnChroma lenses, was added to an existing accessible view-finder that was donated to the nature center in 2018 by the Rockville Recreation and Parks Foundation.
The specialized lenses help those with red-green color vision deficiency experience a broader spectrum of colors. While people with standard vision can perceive more than 1 million shades of color, those with red-green CVD typically see only about 10% of those hues, with reds and greens often appearing dull and indistinguishable.
Color vision deficiency affects about one in 12 men (8%) and one in 200 women (0.5%), totaling about 13 million Americans and 350 million people worldwide. “We are thrilled to bring the vibrancy of nature to life for individuals with color vision deficiency,” Stewart said.
Croydon Creek Nature Center, located at 852 Avery Road in Rockville, is open 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 1-4 p.m. Sunday. Learn more about the center at rockvillemd.gov/croydoncreek.