FAA-Approved Color Vision Test
FAA-Approved Rabin Cone Contrast Testing
Pass or fail is not an answer. Get a precise score for your red, green, and blue cone function in each eye, on one of the three color vision tests the FAA accepts for pilot medical certification. Available at all three Everyday Eye Care offices, inside Walmart in Pasco and Sunnyside, Washington, and Hermiston, Oregon.
The short answer
Everyday Eye Care offers the Rabin Cone Contrast Test (RCCT, also written Rabin CCT) at all three of our offices, each located inside Walmart: Pasco, Washington; Sunnyside, Washington; and Hermiston, Oregon. It is a computer-based color vision test that scores your red, green, and blue cone sensitivity from 0 to 100 in each eye, so instead of a pass or fail you learn which cone pathway is affected and how severely. Testing takes about five minutes per eye. Call (509) 543-7953 to schedule.
What is the Rabin Cone Contrast Test (RCCT)?
The Rabin Cone Contrast Test, abbreviated RCCT or Rabin CCT, is a computer-based color vision test that measures how well each type of cone in your retina detects color contrast. Colored letters appear on a calibrated gray screen and grow progressively fainter. The faintest letters you can still read set your score.
It was developed by Dr. Jeff Rabin at the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, where the goal was to replace a pass or fail plate screening with a measurement precise enough to say how much color sensitivity a person actually has. That is the important difference. A plate test tells you that something is wrong. The Rabin CCT tells you what is wrong, in which eye, and by how much.
Each eye is tested separately, and you receive three scores per eye on a 0 to 100 scale. Scores in the mid-seventies and above are generally considered normal, and healthy eyes commonly score in the nineties. Because the result is a number rather than a verdict, it can be repeated years later and compared directly.
Illustration
How cone contrast is measured: letters in a single cone-isolating color, fading step by step until you can no longer read them.
Illustrative only. The real test runs on a calibrated display at a controlled distance and cannot be reproduced accurately on a phone, printout, or web page.
What the Rabin CCT measures: your L, M, and S cones
Normal color vision depends on three cone photoreceptor types working together. The Rabin Cone Contrast Test isolates each one and scores it on its own, which is why it can name the type of deficiency instead of just detecting one.
Long wavelength
Reduced L cone sensitivity points toward a protan (red) deficiency, the type most often flagged in occupational screening.
Medium wavelength
Reduced M cone sensitivity points toward a deutan (green) deficiency, the most common inherited color vision deficiency.
Short wavelength
Reduced S cone sensitivity points toward a tritan (blue-yellow) loss, which is usually acquired rather than inherited and can be an early sign of retinal, optic nerve, or medication-related change.
Reading your scores
Each cone is scored from 0 to 100 in each eye. Roughly 75 and above is generally treated as the normal range, with most healthy eyes landing in the nineties. A single low score with two normal ones usually points to a specific inherited deficiency. Several low scores, or a result that is worse in one eye than the other, is more suggestive of an acquired cause such as cataract, retinal disease, optic nerve disease, or medication effect, and that is worth investigating rather than filing away. Our doctors go through your numbers with you at the visit.
Why a patient may need cone contrast testing
Some people come in because a job requires it. Others come because something changed. Both are good reasons.
Occupational and licensing requirements
Aviation, military, maritime, rail, law enforcement, fire service, electrical and wiring trades, and some laboratory and medical roles set color vision standards. Many now require a quantitative score rather than a pass or fail plate test.
You suspect a color vision problem
Trouble matching clothing, reading color-coded charts, distinguishing traffic signals, or a family history of color blindness. Cone contrast testing tells you which cone pathway is affected and how severely.
Medication monitoring
Certain long-term medications, including hydroxychloroquine, ethambutol, digoxin, vigabatrin, and tamoxifen, carry a risk of retinal or optic nerve toxicity. Color vision change is often one of the earliest measurable signals, before vision itself drops.
Neurologic and optic nerve conditions
Optic neuritis, multiple sclerosis, compressive optic neuropathies, and traumatic brain injury can all reduce color contrast sensitivity. The test gives a repeatable number to track over time.
Retinal and macular disease
Diabetic retinopathy, age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, and inherited retinal dystrophies can quietly erode color sensitivity. Cone contrast testing helps separate early disease from normal aging.
A more detailed answer than a screening plate
If a standard color plate screening came back abnormal or borderline, cone contrast testing quantifies the deficiency by type and severity instead of leaving you with a fail and no detail.
How is the Rabin CCT different from an Ishihara color plate test?
Ishihara plates are a good screening tool and we still use screening where it fits. When the answer needs to be precise, defensible, or repeatable, cone contrast testing is the better instrument.
Swipe to see the Rabin CCT column
| Ishihara plates | Rabin Cone Contrast Test | |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | Pass or fail screening result | A numeric score from 0 to 100 for each cone type, in each eye |
| Colors evaluated | Red and green only | Red (L), green (M), and blue (S) |
| Severity | Not measured | Graded from mild to severe |
| Type of deficiency | Limited, often inconclusive | Distinguishes protan, deutan, and tritan patterns |
| Acquired (disease or medication) loss | Frequently missed, especially blue-yellow loss | Detected and quantified, including blue-yellow loss |
| Tracking change over time | Poorly suited to it | Repeatable scores that can be compared visit to visit |
| Accepted for FAA pilot color vision testing | No longer accepted as of January 1, 2025 | Yes, the Rabin Cone Test is on the FAA list of approved computer-based tests |
FAA color vision testing and the Rabin Cone Test
Effective January 1, 2025, the FAA requires an approved computer-based color vision test for pilots who need color vision screening for a medical certificate. Printed plate tests, downloaded versions, and virtual testing are no longer acceptable, and testing must be performed in person.
The Rabin Cone Test is one of the three tests on the FAA approved list. Under the FAA protocol each eye is tested separately, the staircase version is permitted, and the passing standard is a score of 55 or higher in each of red, green, and blue. A strong score in one color cannot make up for a weak score in another.
Red 55 or higher
Green 55 or higher
Blue 55 or higher
Before you book for an aviation or employer requirement
An FAA medical certificate is issued through an Aviation Medical Examiner, and different employers, agencies, and training programs accept different documentation. Call us first and tell us what your program requires. We will confirm what we can perform and what paperwork you will leave with, so you are not making a second trip. The same applies to law enforcement, fire service, maritime, rail, military, and trade licensing requirements.
What to expect during cone contrast testing
The test is painless, non-invasive, and takes about five minutes per eye.
Check in and refraction check
We confirm you are wearing the right correction for the test distance. Color vision results are only valid when the letters are in focus, so this step matters.
One eye at a time
The test is monocular. Each eye is tested separately, which is what allows us to catch a one-sided problem that a both-eyes-open screening would hide.
Read the letters
Colored letters appear on a calibrated gray screen and fade in contrast as you go. You simply say what you see. There are no needles, no drops, and nothing touches your eye.
Scores and explanation
You get an L, M, and S score for each eye, and our doctors walk you through what the numbers mean, whether the pattern looks inherited or acquired, and what, if anything, to do next.
Where to get Rabin Cone Contrast Testing in Washington and Oregon
Everyday Eye Care offers Rabin Cone Contrast Testing at all three of our offices, each located inside Walmart with free parking and walk-ins welcome. Call the location nearest you and ask for color vision testing.
Color vision testing in Pasco, WA
Serving Pasco, Kennewick, Richland, and the Tri-Cities
4820 N Rd 68
Pasco, WA 99301
Inside Walmart
Call (509) 543-7953 Pasco office detailsColor vision testing in Sunnyside, WA
Serving Sunnyside, Grandview, Toppenish, and the Yakima Valley
2675 E Lincoln Ave
Sunnyside, WA 98944
Inside Walmart
Call (509) 839-4575 Sunnyside office detailsColor vision testing in Hermiston, OR
Serving Hermiston, Umatilla, Stanfield, Boardman, and Eastern Oregon
1350 N 1st St
Hermiston, OR 97838
Inside Walmart
Call (541) 567-5283 Hermiston office detailsRabin Cone Contrast Test: frequently asked questions
What is the Rabin Cone Contrast Test?
The Rabin Cone Contrast Test, abbreviated RCCT and also written Rabin CCT, is a computer-based color vision test that measures how sensitive each of your three cone types is to color contrast. Colored letters are shown on a calibrated gray background and become progressively fainter. The lowest contrast you can reliably read sets your score for that cone pathway, from 0 to 100, in each eye separately. It was developed by Dr. Jeff Rabin at the United States Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine and is used clinically and for occupational color vision standards.
What does the Rabin CCT test for?
It tests the function of your long (L, red), medium (M, green), and short (S, blue) wavelength cones independently. That lets it identify the type of color vision deficiency (protan, deutan, or tritan), grade how severe it is, and separate an inherited deficiency from color vision loss acquired from retinal disease, optic nerve disease, or medication toxicity.
How is the Rabin Cone Contrast Test different from an Ishihara color vision test?
Ishihara plates are a screening tool. They generally give a pass or fail result, cover red-green deficiencies only, and can miss blue-yellow loss and milder or acquired deficiencies. The Rabin Cone Contrast Test gives a numeric score for red, green, and blue cone sensitivity in each eye, so it shows which pathway is affected, how badly, and whether the result is changing over time. It is also one of the computer-based tests the FAA accepts for pilot color vision certification, which Ishihara plates no longer are as of January 1, 2025.
How long does the Rabin Cone Contrast Test take?
The test itself takes about five minutes per eye, so roughly ten minutes for both. Plan for a longer visit if it is being done as part of a comprehensive or medical eye exam, or if you need documented results for an employer or licensing body.
Who should consider having cone contrast testing?
Anyone who needs documented color vision results for a job, license, or training program; anyone who suspects a color vision problem or has a family history of color blindness; patients taking medications with retinal or optic nerve toxicity risk such as hydroxychloroquine or ethambutol; and patients being monitored for glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, macular degeneration, optic neuritis, or other neurologic conditions that can affect color vision.
Do I need a referral for Rabin Cone Contrast Testing?
No referral is required to be seen at Everyday Eye Care. You can call any of our offices and schedule directly. We also welcome referrals from primary care physicians, rheumatologists, neurologists, and other eye care providers who need quantitative color vision data for a patient.
Can the Rabin Cone Contrast Test be used for occupational or aviation requirements?
The Rabin Cone Test is listed by the FAA as an approved computer-based color vision test for pilot medical certification. Effective January 1, 2025 the FAA requires an approved computer-based test, administered in person, with each eye tested separately, and a passing score of 55 or higher for red, green, and blue. Many employers and licensing programs outside aviation also accept cone contrast scores. Because requirements differ by program and the FAA certificate itself is issued through an Aviation Medical Examiner, call our office before your visit so we can confirm exactly what your program needs and what documentation we can provide.
Where can I get Rabin Cone Contrast Testing near me?
Everyday Eye Care offers Rabin Cone Contrast Testing (RCCT) at our Pasco, Washington and Sunnyside, Washington offices and at our Hermiston, Oregon office. All three are located inside Walmart, so there is free parking and you can combine your visit with a regular shopping trip. That covers the Tri-Cities (Pasco, Kennewick, Richland), the lower Yakima Valley, and Eastern Oregon including Umatilla, Stanfield, and Boardman.
How do I schedule an appointment for color vision testing?
Call the office nearest you. Pasco (509) 543-7953, Sunnyside (509) 839-4575, or Hermiston (541) 567-5283. You can also request an appointment online. Tell us you need Rabin Cone Contrast Testing and why, so we can schedule enough time and prepare any paperwork you need to take with you.
Related eye care at Everyday Eye Care
Comprehensive Eye Exam
The full workup that color vision testing is usually paired with.
Medical Eye Exam
Evaluation and monitoring for glaucoma, optic nerve, and retinal conditions.
Diabetic Eye Care
Diabetic retinopathy monitoring, where early color vision change can matter.
AMD Light Therapy
Photobiomodulation for dry age-related macular degeneration.
Referring a patient for quantitative color vision data? See our information for referring providers.
Need Rabin Cone Contrast Testing?
Call Everyday Eye Care today to schedule your evaluation in Pasco, Sunnyside, or Hermiston. Most color vision appointments can be scheduled within a week.
Call (509) 543-7953This page is general health information, not medical advice, and does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Color vision requirements for aviation, employment, and licensing are set by the relevant agency or employer and can change. Confirm your specific requirement with that agency before scheduling.