Many of us share a common color vision sensory experience, meaning we see a full range of colors without distortion. However, there is a group of people who suffer from a condition distinguishing certain colors such as blue and yellow or red and green, called color blindness. People with color blindness aren’t aware of differences among colors that are obvious to those who aren’t affected. Also, individuals who don’t have the more severe types may not even be aware of their condition unless they’re tested in a clinic or laboratory. Color blindness affects males more frequently than females. According to Color Blindness Awareness, it affects an estimated approximately 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women in the world.
What are the causes if color blindness?
Color blindness is caused by the presence of abnormal photo pigments. These are color-detecting molecules located in cone-shaped cells within the retina, called cone cells. In humans, several genes are needed for the body to make photo pigments, and defects in these genes can lead to color blindness. Sometimes it can be caused by physical or chemical damage to the eye, the optic nerve, or parts of the brain that process color information. Color vision can also decline with age, most often because of cataract – a clouding and yellowing of the eye’s lens. Learn more about cataracts here.
There are three main kinds of color blindness. These conditions are based on photo pigment defects in the three different kinds of cones that respond to blue, green, and red light.
Red-green color blindness is the most common, followed by blue-yellow color blindness. A complete absence of color vision where the individual only sees gray is rare.
Living with Colorblindness
Colorblindness can add a level of difficulty to everyday tasks. For example, a task such as cooking meat to the desired color or selecting ripe produce can be a challenge for adults. Children might find food without vibrant bright colors as less appetizing. Traffic lights pose challenges since they have to be read by the position of the light. Since most lights are vertical, with green on bottom and red on top, if a light is positioned horizontally, a color blind person has to perform a quick mental rotation to read it. Reading maps or buying clothes that match colors can also be difficult. However, these are relatively minor inconveniences and most people learn to adapt.
Get Tested
Do you have difficulty telling if colors are blue and yellow, or red and green? Do other people sometimes inform you that the color you think you are seeing is wrong? Find out by getting a consultation at our office. It’s important to diagnose color blindness at an early age. Have our doctors provide the best treatment plan for your young one. Often times, our consultations are covered under your insurance plan. Contact leading ophthalmologist Dr. Shareen Greenbaum at 954-447-0606 or click here.
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Sources: National Eye Institute, All About Vision, Color Blindness Awareness