Do I need a new monitor or new eyes?

[Robert S]

Last Thursday I was looking over the fence at a truck that had bright yellow wheels. With both eyes open the wheels were yellow, but if I closed my left eye and looked with my right eye the wheels were pink. I had to take care as to where I was looking. It seems my right eye [ the one that has macular degeneration and gets a needle every six weeks ] has a form of colour blindness. No big deal because my brain manages to correct the image in most cases.
The reason I mention this is that I was thinking of a monitor upgrade. Seems a bit pointless seeing as I have a one eyed version of a certain type of colour blindness developing.
Maybe before spending a lot on a new monitor others might benefit from an eye check.

 

[seh]

Tough decrsion but you could look at the new monitor with your color-good eye and still get some benefit from the upgrade. I enjoy editing much more knowing that my monitor is color accurate, and I can produce matching prints. I still enjoy the prints even though no one except a few family ever see them.

 

[Krümelkraft]

I am really sorry that you have got a macular degeneration. At least, it seems you got that kind of wet degeneration that can be treatened with those injections.
It's no wonder you have a sort of color bias. I have had reocurring macular edema for some years and I observed a degradation of color reception, especially in the blue and green and yellow range.
I'd say it's pointless to change the monitor, since it won't change your color perception. However, if that upgrade means a bigger screen, you still can benefit from it.

I wish you the very best for your eyes and that you can enjoy photography for many many more years.

 

[LarryR]

I also have AMD and recently upgraded my monitor. I think it did help somewhat although I've never noticed any color shift previously (other than the "washing out" of colors in my affected eye). Best of luck!

 

[Robert S]

Thanks for the replies. My purpose was not to elicit sympathy rather inform others unaware of the problem to get a check up. I did inform the specialist that is treating the condition and he is not concerned so I'm ok with it. Fortunately I live in the right place to get treatment.

 

[Woodpecker]

Hi @Ibrahim, sorry to hear - sorry, read - that and I would fully agree with what @Seh said.
And I think it is even more important for people like you to have the visual part of the process put absolutely right.
Luckily my only problem is that with growing age my arms became too short but apart from the MFD my eyes are still o.k., but still:
Being uncertain about what I see is correct during post processing always caused a kind of uncomfortable feeling that constantly cothered me "below the surface".
I think in your situation it is ieven more important that you can trust your technical infrastructure to the maximum in relation to correctly displaying your images.
If your brain already has to put additional energy in correcting your vision based on experience and learning, the input should be as accurate and as reliable as possible.
IMO one of the things that can help with that ist a high quality monitor with wide color gamut and proper calibration.

 

[PeggyBaker]

I agree with upgraded and calibrated monitor. That way you know you are starting from a sound baseline. My mother was a letterpress artist who eventually lost most of her sight. I am so grateful for the advances being made in treating this disease. Here's to many more years of color-calibrated viewing.

 

[SBurkholder]

I remember years ago, (circa PhotoShop 4 or 5) when I was learning the ins and outs of Color Correction, there were guys who preached that it was possible to color correct an image by the numbers alone (RGB using the eyedropper tool and the info box). It took a lot of practice and I could kind of get there sometimes. It really required that you knew the ratios between the colors for the look you were trying to get. But it could be done.

 

[Patrick M]

I think it’s “normal” to find no two eyes see colour the same. That’s especially true for those of us with larger eyes, that will tend to be short sighted, and probably leading to a cataract too. Certainly true in my case. My left eye, sees more red, while my right, with a replaced lens, plastic, sees more blue.

 

[Robert S]

Thanks for the replies. Lots of useful information.