Virginia State Parks Becomes First in the Nation to Install EnChroma-adapted Viewfinders for Colorblind Guests at Every Park
July 29 2024 - 6:00AM
Business Wire
Virginia State Parks is leading the way in inclusivity by
becoming the first park system in the nation to install
EnChroma-adapted viewfinders for colorblind guests at each of its
43 locations.
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The viewfinders, made by SeeCoast Manufacturing, are equipped
with special lenses from EnChroma designed to help those with
red-green Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) experience an expanded
range of visible color.
While people with normal color vision see over one million
shades of color, those with red-green CVD are estimated to see
about 10% of hues and shades. To them, colors containing red and
green can appear dull, washed out and indistinguishable.
“This initiative underscores Virginia’s commitment to enhancing
outdoor experiences for all visitors and sets a new standard for
state parks nationwide,” said Matt Wells, director of the Virginia
Department of Conservation and Recreation, which manages Virginia
State Parks. “We’re proud to play a role in opening up a world of
vibrant color for colorblind individuals to experience nature like
never before."
The installation of EnChroma-adapted viewfinders at Virginia
State Parks began in 2023 with Natural Tunnel State Park, an
initiative that was led by Chief Ranger Ethan Howes who is
colorblind. The remaining 42 locations received their viewfinders
in 2024.
The purchase of the viewfinders was funded by donations received
through the Round-Up for Parks Program, allowing visitors to donate
to Virginia State Parks when making a purchase online or at a park.
Since 2018, visitors have donated nearly $300,000, which has been
invested in improving offerings and activities.
"Seeing the world in vibrant color is a gift many of us take for
granted," said Virginia State Parks Director Dr. Melissa Baker.
"The EnChroma viewfinders help us create a one-of-a-kind experience
for our red-green colorblind visitors and allow them to better
enjoy the breathtaking beauty of our state parks.”
To launch this color accessibility initiative on July 26 six
local red-green colorblind people traveled to Pocahontas State Park
in Chesterfield, Virginia, to try the EnChroma viewfinder and share
their perspectives on the experience. They included a colorblind
medical dispatcher, a carpenter, a policy analyst, personal
trainer, college student and a permit specialist. Click here to see
videos of their reactions and/or to download photos and images of
Virginia State Parks as they appear to the red-green
colorblind.
“Virginia gives visitors unrivaled access to beautiful forests,
breathtaking mountain views, stunning rivers and the renowned
colorful leaves in Fall,” said Erik Ritchie, CEO of EnChroma.
“Virginia is truly for lovers of the outdoors but it’s also for
lovers of color too. That’s why we applaud Virginia State Parks for
working with EnChroma to make its colorful beauty more accessible
to those who are red-green colorblind.”
One in 12 men (8%) and one in 200 women (0.5%) are colorblind.
In the US alone, 13 million people are colorblind and 350 million
worldwide. With over 8 million people visiting Virginia State Parks
annually, approximately 341,000 are colorblind.
Virginia State Parks joins over 400 organizations worldwide in
supporting colorblind guests by installing the SeeCoast viewfinders
with EnChroma lenses or loaning EnChroma glasses. This includes
nearly 100 state and national parks across 25 states. The patented
lenses are engineered with special optical filters that help people
with red-green color blindness see an expanded range of visible
color. EnChroma glasses are for people with deuteranomalous and
protanomalous CVD. They are not a cure for color blindness, work
for approximately eight of 10 red-green colorblind people, and
results and reaction times vary. A study by the University of the
Incarnate Word in San Antonio illustrated the benefits of the
glasses.
About Virginia State
Parks
Virginia State Parks are managed by the Virginia Department of
Conservation and Recreation. For more information about Virginia
State Parks’ activities and amenities or to reserve one of the more
than 1,800 campsites or 300 climate-controlled cabins, call the
Virginia State Parks Reservation Center at 800-933-PARK or visit
virginiastateparks.gov.
About EnChroma
Based in Berkeley, Calif., EnChroma produces leading-edge
eyewear for color blindness and low vision, and other solutions for
color vision, sold online and through Authorized Retailers
worldwide. Invented in 2010, EnChroma’s patented eyewear for color
blindness combines the latest in color perception, neuroscience and
lens innovation to improve the lives of people with color vision
deficiency. EnChroma received an SBIR grant from the National
Institutes of Health (NIH). It earned the 2020 Innovation Award in
Life Sciences from the Bay Area’s East Bay Economic Development
Alliance. For more information call +1-510-497-0048 or visit
enchroma.com.
About SeeCoast
Manufacturing
SeeCoast Manufacturing is one of the world’s leading
manufacturers of coin- and non-coin-operated telescopes and
binoculars. A family-owned and operated company, SeeCoast sells and
concessions its own equipment, which can be found in every U.S.
state and in more than 80 countries. To learn more, go to
seecoast.com.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240729120268/en/
Virginia State Parks Starr Anderson, public relations and
marketing specialist, 540-460-1540,
starr.anderson@dcr.virginia.gov
EnChroma Kent Streeb, vice president of communications
and partnerships, 530-908-9225, kent@enchroma.com