We've had a steady stream of calls lately from pilots, student pilots, and military applicants asking one question: where can I get an FAA-approved or military-accepted color vision test in Nashville? We're glad to say we now have the answer — Elite Eyecare is equipped with the Waggoner Computerized Color Vision Test (Waggoner CCVT), one of the most widely accepted color vision instruments in the country.
As of January 1, 2025, the FAA changed the rules for color vision testing. First-time pilot applicants can no longer rely on the older Ishihara plate books alone — the FAA now requires a computer-based color vision test administered in person by an approved provider. Only a small handful of instruments meet that standard, and the Waggoner CCVT is one of them, alongside the CAD test and the Rabin Cone Contrast Test. If you already hold a medical certificate with no color vision limitation, you won't need to retest — but any new applicant will.
The same test is also accepted by branches of the U.S. military — including the Navy, Army, and Coast Guard — for color vision qualification tied to specific roles and job assignments (aviation, certain technical ratings, and more).
It's a computerized version of the classic pseudoisochromatic plate test — the same style of test as Ishihara, but presented on a calibrated monitor with randomized plate order instead of a fixed printed sequence. That randomization matters: it removes any chance of memorizing plate answers ahead of time, and the software self-scores the results, so there's no subjective judgment call involved.
The test runs in sections. Section 1 is a general screening for red (Protan) and green (Deutan) deficiencies. If a patient passes that section cleanly, testing is done. If not, the software automatically moves into Sections 2 through 4, which quantify the type and severity of any deficiency using desaturated plates. To pass the general screening, a patient needs at least 21 of 25 correct on the general section and 10 of 12 on the Tritan section — or, if referred to quantitative testing, minimum scores on the Protan and Deutan sections as well.
The CCVT can't be done as a standalone walk-in test — it has to be paired with a comprehensive eye exam. That's actually an FAA and clinical requirement, not just ours: a full exam rules out other eye conditions that can cause acquired color vision problems separate from genetic color blindness. So your visit will include your comprehensive exam plus the CCVT itself, which is a flat $80 add-on.
If you're a pilot, student pilot, or applying for a military role that requires color vision certification, call us at (615) 249-4926 to schedule your comprehensive exam and Waggoner CCVT. We're accepting new patients and can typically get you in quickly.
