HASTINGS, Neb. (KSNB) - You've probably seen a video that went viral months ago - where a grandfather who had been colorblind his entire life put on a specially designed pair of glasses from the company Enchroma, that allowed him to see color for the very first time.
Well, thanks to another company in the optics field, Vino Optics, several right here in Central Nebraska were afforded a similar opportunity, but before we at NBC Nebraska let the fortunate few slide on the glasses, we asked them what life has been like without them.
"I've been colorblind my whole life, but I didn't really understand that I perceived color differently than other people until around middle school," said Maggie Nielsen, a junior at Hastings High School.
"I was actually born completely and totally colorblind," added Richard Hawley of Hastings. "I've never seen red, green, blue."
Maggie and Richard are two of several people in the Tri-Cities who are colorblind. In fact, there are three types:
- Blue-Yellow Colorblindness
- Red-Green Colorblindness
- Completely Colorblind
And it all comes at varying levels.
"It has to be necessary - it has to be a different color so I can see it, so like blue and green," said Trevin Long, a second grader at Central Elementary School in Kearney.
For Trevin's parents, they say if Trevin were to be able to see color, they think life would really open up for him.
"Just going outside and going to the farm with him and having him see different colors and definitely the zoo will be fun," said Trevin's mother Amy Long.
Trevin, along with Richard, Maggie and so many others will get the opportunity to try on a unique pair of glasses. They are prescribed to bring color to those who have never seen it in its true form, so we asked them how anxious they were to try out the new specs.
"I actually kind of want to see if they actually work because then art class will be so much easier," said Tara McBride, a junior as Hastings High School.
"It's going to be interesting to see how the rest of my family sees it," Nielsen added
As for the second grader, Trevin Long?
"Um...it feels pretty exciting," he said with a smile.
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((PART TWO))
After living their lives without a full array of color, students, teachers - even parents from both Hastings and Kearney Public Schools received a chance to see the world as it's meant to be seen for the very first time.
It's all thanks to a pair of glasses designed to correct their color deficiency's, and we were there to capture their reactions the moment they first slid on the glasses.
Originally published by NBC Nebraska
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