This case presentation (n=1) describes a subject with red-green colour vision deficiency (mild deuteranomaly) who experienced a partial improvement in their condition after using 5g of dried psilocybin mushrooms. Self-reported Ishihara Test data showed the improvement peaking at 8 days and lasting at least 16 days post-administration, although further observations were confounded by other substance use.
Abstract of Prolonged amelioration of mild red-green color vision deficiency following psilocybin mushroom use
“Background Recent survey data indicate that some people report long-term improvement in color vision deficiency (CVD), also known as color blindness, following use of psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin. However, there are no objective data reported in the medical literature quantifying the degree or duration of CVD improvement associated with psychedelic use.
Case presentation Here we present the case of a subject with red-green CVD (mild deuteranomalia) who self-administered the Ishihara Test to quantify the degree and duration of CVD improvement following the use of 5 g of dried psilocybin mushrooms. Self-reported Ishihara Test data from the subject revealed partial improvement in CVD peaking at 8 days and persisting for at least 16 days post-psilocybin administration. This improvement may have lasted longer, though the subsequent observations are confounded by additional substance use.
Conclusion A single use of psilocybin may produce partial improvements in CVD extending beyond the period of acute effect, despite this condition typically resulting from a genetic defect. Systematic exploration of this possible phenomenon is needed to confirm our findings, gauge their generalizability, and determine the mechanism of action.”
Authors: Brian S. Barnett, Noah W. Sweat & Peter S. Hendricks
Summary of Prolonged amelioration of mild red-green color vision deficiency following psilocybin mushroom use
Red-green colour vision deficiency is the most common type of colour vision deficiency, occurring in 8% of men and 0.5% of women. No cures exist, but gene, pharmacological, and stem cell therapies are under investigation.
Intriguingly, 49% of respondents with CVD and psychedelic use reported psychedelic-associated symptom amelioration, and 39% experienced improvements lasting from three days to multiple years post-exposure. If confirmed, improvement in CVD would be the latest addition to a long list of psychedelic-induced effects on the visual system, which includes synesthesia, macropsia, pareidolia, acuity enhancement, alterations in motion perception, after-images, distortions, illusions, tracers, and visual hallucinations. Psychedelics can enhance colour perception but can also impair hue discrimination during acute effects, and this impairment might become chronic.
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https://doi.org/10.1177/20503245231172536
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Barnett, B. S., Sweat, N. W., & Hendricks, P. S. (2023). Case report: Prolonged amelioration of mild red-green color vision deficiency following psilocybin mushroom use. Drug Science, Policy and Law, 9, 20503245231172536.
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Peter HendricksPeter Hendricks is a Professor in the Department of Health Behaviour at the University of Alabama. Hendricks's area of expertise lies in substance abuse treatment and prevention.
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