Colour blindness, also called colour vision deficiency, is a condition where the eyes have trouble distinguishing certain colours. Most affected people have either red or green colour blindness. Blue colour blindness and monochromatism, a condition in which a person sees only black, white, and grey, are very rare.
Most people have mild forms of colour blindness that don’t interfere much with their daily lives. About 8% of Caucasian men and less than 1% of Caucasian women have either red or green colour blindness. This condition is rare among people of Asian, Hispanic, Indigenous, or African descent. Colour blindness is divided between inherited and acquired kinds.
The area at the back of the eye, called the retina, is sensitive to light and colour. It contains specialized cells, called cones, which respond to colour. There are three types of cone cells. One responds best to red light, one to green light, and one to blue light. When a specific type of cone cell is missing or doesn’t work properly, a person will have trouble seeing the colour that particular cone cell responds to. For example, a person with red colour blindness has a defect in red cone cells.
Most colour blindness is inherited, although some cases are caused by an injury or disease of the retina or optic nerve, the nerve that takes visual information from the eye to the brain. People inherit colour blindness as a result of a defect on the gene(s) for colour located on the X chromosome.
Men inherit colour blindness 10 times as often as women do. Colour blindness "shows up" in men because they have only one X chromosome. Since women inherit two X chromosomes, a healthy gene on one X chromosome can override the unhealthy gene on the other. A woman can still have the unhealthy gene; it just doesn’t always show up. She can, however, pass the gene to her children. A person who doesn’t have a genetic condition like colour blindness but who can pass it to her children is called a "carrier."
Diseases that may lead to colour blindness include glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, uncontrolled diabetes, and multiple sclerosis. Fading color vision may also occur with age.
Inherited colour blindness is not treatable. In cases of acquired colour blindness, a doctor will treat the underlying disease or injury. People with mild colour blindness lead fairly normal lives. Severe colour blindness can interfere with tasks such as seeing traffic signals properly. Special eye glasses or contacts may be prescribed to adjust colour. People with severe colour blindness may not be able to perform tasks that require colour discrimination.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2025. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/Colour-Blindness
Pharmasave uses cookies to provide a personalized experience, analyze traffic, improve site performance, and provide social media features. By using our site, you agree to our privacy policy.