Color Blind
Color blindness is the inability to see the difference between certain colors.
Although many people commonly use the term “color blindness” for this condition, color blindness in the sense that everything is seen in shades of black and white is very rare.
So most people who are color blind see a different color than they should see.
Color blindness is usually an inherited condition, and men are more likely to be born with the condition.
Most people with color blindness cannot distinguish between certain shades of red and green.
Less commonly, a person with this vision disorder cannot distinguish between blue and yellow.
In addition, certain eye diseases and some medications can also cause color blindness.
Symptoms of Color Blindness
A person may have a color vision deficiency and not know it.
Some people find out that they or their child has color blindness symptoms when it causes confusion.
Such as when there is a problem distinguishing colors in traffic lights or interpreting color-coded learning materials.
The most common color blindness is the inability to see some shades of red and green.
Often, a person who is less able to see red-green or blue-yellow is not fully sensitive to either color. This condition can be mild, moderate, or severe.
Can Color Blind People See Any Colors?
The following is an explanation of what colors color blind people can see, based on the type of color blindness:
1. Red-Green Color Blindness
This is a condition where the photopigments in the red cones or green cones of your eyes do not function properly.
There are several types:
- Deuteranomaly: This is the most common form of color blindness and affects 5 percent of men, but is rare in women. It occurs when the green cone photopigment does not function properly. Yellow and green appear redder, and it is difficult to distinguish blue from violet.
- Protanomaly: Occurs when the red cone photopigments do not function properly. Orange, red, and yellow appear greener, and the colors are less vibrant. It is usually mild and does not cause problems in daily life. It is rare in women and affects about 1 percent of men.
- Protanopia: A person does not have functioning red cone cells. Reds appear only dark gray. Some shades of orange, yellow, and green appear yellow. This is rare in women and affects only about 1 percent of men.
- Deuteranopia: A person does not have functioning green cone cells. Red looks yellow-brown, and green looks beige. This affects 1 percent of men and is rare in women.
2. Blue-Yellow Color Blindness
This is when the blue cone photopigment is missing or not functioning properly.
This is the second most common type affecting men and women equally.
- Tritanomaly: Blue cone cells work only in a limited way. Blue looks greener, and pink is difficult to distinguish from yellow and red. This condition is very rare.
- Tritanopia: also known as blue-yellow color blindness, is a condition where someone does not have blue cone cells. Blue looks green, and yellow looks light gray or purple. This condition is also very rare.
3. Complete Color Blindness
Also has another name monochromacy, which is when someone does not see color at all and vision is not very clear. There are two types, namely:
- Cone monochromacy: This condition occurs when 2 of the 3 cone photopigments, such as red, green, or blue, are not functioning. When only one type of cone is functioning, it is difficult to distinguish one color from another.
- Rod monochromacy: also known as achromatopsia, is the most severe form of color blindness. None of the cone cells have functioning photopigments. As a result, the world appears in black, white, and gray.
Meanwhile, color blindness in children is often detected late.
Because children tend not to know and are not aware that what they see may not be perfect.
Risk Factors
There are many things that increase the risk of experiencing this vision disorder, including:
- Inherited from parents.
- Having certain diseases.
- Taking certain medications.
- Exposure to chemicals.
- Done.
Causes of Color Blindness
Seeing colors across the light spectrum is a complex process that occurs with the eye’s ability to respond to different wavelengths of light.
Light, which contains all color wavelengths, enters the eye through the cornea and passes through the transparent lens.
The jelly-like tissue in the eye (vitreous humor) to the wavelength-sensitive cells (cones) at the back of the eye in the macular area of the retina.
Cones are sensitive to short (blue), medium (green), or long (red) wavelengths of light.
Chemicals in the cone cells trigger reactions and send wavelength information through the optic nerve to the brain.
If your eyes are not abnormal, you will perceive color.
But if your cone cells lack one or more wavelength-sensitive chemicals, you won’t be able to distinguish between red, green, or blue.
Causes of color blindness include:
1. Genetic disorders
Inherited color deficiencies are much more common in males than females.
The most common color deficiency is red-green, with blue-yellow deficiency being much less common. It is rare to have no color vision at all.
You can inherit a mild, moderate or severe degree of the disorder. Inherited color deficiencies usually affect both eyes, and the severity does not change throughout life.
2. Certain diseases
Several conditions can cause color deficits in the eyes. Starting from sickle cell anemia, diabetes, macular degeneration, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, glaucoma, Parkinson’s disease, chronic alcoholism, and leukemia.
One eye will be more affected than the other, and the color deficit will improve if the underlying disease can be treated.
3. Certain eye diseases
This condition can also occur due to eye disease that causes damage to the part of the eye that helps see color.
Examples of eye diseases include glaucoma or macular degeneration.
4. Consumption of certain medications
Some medications can alter color vision, such as some drugs that treat certain autoimmune diseases, heart problems, high blood pressure, erectile dysfunction, infections, nervous disorders, and psychological problems.
5. Aging factors
Your ability to see colors slowly declines as you age.
6. Chemicals
Exposure to certain workplace chemicals, such as carbon disulfide and fertilizers, can cause color vision loss.
Color Blindness Diagnosis
If you have trouble seeing certain colors, your eye doctor can perform a test to see if you have a color deficiency. You will have a complete eye exam.
Then, the doctor will perform supporting tests to support the examination.
Here are some types of color blindness tests that doctors can perform:
1. Ishihara test
This examination is the option that doctors most often recommend.
In the procedure, the doctor will ask the patient to recognize numbers or letters that are shown faintly on the image in the form of colored dots.
2. Color Arrangement Test
This examination aims to provide a detailed analysis of this condition and/or a person’s ability to recognize colors accurately.
This color blindness test consists of a number of colored discs or plates that a person must arrange in the correct color order.
3. Cambridge Color Test
This test involves using a computer screen. When a person undergoes it, the doctor will ask them to identify the letter “C” on the screen that is a different color than the surrounding colors.
Color Blindness Treatment
There is no cure for color blindness. Except for color vision problems related to the use of certain medications or eye conditions.
Stopping the medication that is causing the vision problem or treating the underlying eye disease may result in improved color vision.
Wearing colored filters over glasses or colored contact lenses can enhance the perception of contrast between confusing colors.
However, such lenses will not improve the ability to see all colors.
Several rare retinal disorders associated with color deficiencies can be modified with gene replacement techniques.
This treatment is being studied and may be available in the future.
In addition, you can also try the following tips to help overcome this condition:
- Memorize the order of colored objects. If it is important to know individual colors, such as traffic lights, memorize the order of the colors.
- Label colored items that you want to match with other items. Ask someone with good color vision to help you sort and label clothes.
- Use technology. Such as apps for mobile phones and digital devices that can help identify colors.
Color Blindness Prevention
The causes of color blindness are divided into factors that sufferers cannot control (genetic) and factors that sufferers can control.
Here are steps you can take to reduce the risk of color blindness:
1. Prevention for genetic factors
If the cause of color blindness is a genetic factor, then there is no preventative measure that a person can take.
Therefore, it is important for couples who want to get married to discuss genetic testing with their doctor before planning a pregnancy.
2. Prevention for controllable causes
For causes of color blindness that you can control, there are several efforts to reduce the risk:
- Routinely undergo a comprehensive health check.
- Have an eye exam every year.
- Implement a healthy lifestyle.
- If working in a sector that is prone to exposure to hazardous chemicals, be sure to wear proper eye protection.
- Exercise regularly.
- Consume healthy, balanced nutritious food. Especially food that is healthy for the eyes.
Complications of Color Blindness
In general, this condition can cause the child’s learning process to be less than optimal.
In addition, there will be many adjustments that sufferers will have to make.
However, the most severe level of this condition is total color blindness.
In this condition, sufferers can only see colors such as gray, white, and black.
In addition, people with total color blindness are also at risk of experiencing other vision disorders, such as:
- Nystagmus or a condition where the eyeballs make rapid and repeated movements without intention.
- Photophobia or sensitivity to bright light.
- Decreased visual acuity.
- Amblyopia or lazy eye syndrome.
- Farsightedness or hypermetropia.
When to See a Doctor?
If you suspect you or someone you love has trouble distinguishing certain colors or changes in color vision, see an eye doctor for testing.
Remember, it is important for children to get a comprehensive eye exam.
Including color vision testing, before starting school. Also, there is no cure for genetic color deficiencies.
But if eye disease or illness is the cause, then treatment can improve color vision.