<p>I am colorblind, the red/green type, as many males are (10% of the male population). I was told by my optometrist (eye doctor) that I should NOT go into engineering or practice medicine as a future career. However, I am very interested in majoring in engineering, but I don't want to be disadvantaged compared to other students due to my colorblindness. </p>
<p>My optometrist never really explained WHY colorblinds can't go into those two professions, but I imagine it's quite common sense.</p>
<p>At least you don't want join the bomb squad.</p>
<p>Lol thats cold, but no theres nothing stopping you.</p>
<p>I see no serious issues with becoming an engineer. I can give you a little anecdotal story. One of the test engineers I worked with was color blind. He was quite capable of doing his job. The only reason I even knew was because he asked me to change the colors of the symbols in the plots I was giving him since he couldn't distinguish between them.</p>
<p>I guess that would be the only disadvantage you might notice. There will be lots of plots and charts in engineering, so you will need to be more careful if you aren't able to distinguish points or lines very well. But I'm sure you are used to that by now.</p>
<p>There's nothing wrong with being a colorblind engineer. I doubt your optometrist knows what engineering work even entails.</p>
<p>I guess he thought u wanted to drive locomotives.</p>
<p>Although I'm sure you can do that too when you're colorblind.</p>
<p>:rolleyes:</p>
<p>I knew a colorblind engineer. It's really no problem as long as you don't work with circuits. He would always ask me which was the positive/negative terminal. So basically don't specialize in circuits. Some other engineering major may make you take one class on circuits which may cause some probelm but you should be find.</p>
<p>Yeah, that's about as bogus as when a college recruiter warningly told me that engineering was pretty difficult for girls. Pursue whatever field you'd like to pursue, just be aware of your limitations and don't ever hesitate to borrow someone else's eyes to double-check things.</p>
<p>what does being colorblind have to do with engineering?</p>
<p>yeah you will not be any more limited in engineering than any other major believe me. Plus I'm sure you could be the first engineer to invent something so that when you point it at an object it returns back what color it is on a display. (like point it at a circuit or graph that has colors.)</p>
<p>I'm colorblind too, and an engineering major. I haven't killed anyone yet :-).</p>
<p><a href="http://www.coe.utah.edu/profiles/carillo%5B/url%5D">http://www.coe.utah.edu/profiles/carillo</a></p>
<p>Okay, <em>THIS</em> would be tough. I say if a blind guy can do it, then colorblind people have absolutely nothing to worry about.</p>
<p>I can't imagine any problems other than difficulty determining the color bands of resistors. Hell, I see just fine and I can't do that too well..</p>
<p>Colorblindness can be considered a disqualification for construction inspectors, in at least in some situations. For example, the American Welding Society specifically asks about both visual acuity and colorblindness on its "Welding</a> Inspector Exam Application". </p>
<p>It is, of course, quite possible to major in engineer, or to work as an engineer, without being a construction inspector.</p>
<p>aibarr,
That's an amazing story. I'm a seeing (no disabilities at all actually, thank g-d) student and I'm struggling with engineering. That guy is an amazing human being; I wish him the best of luck and I hope he succeeds!</p>
<p>hey man, if u set ur mind to it, you can do anything...except work for the bomb squad.</p>
<p>Or an interior decorator.</p>
<p>since you will be an engineer, you can always find a way to solve the problems that arise from being a color blind engineer... since that's what engineers do, solve problems... :-)</p>