Color vision deficiency is the inability to distinguish certain shades of color. The term “color blindness” is also used to describe this visual condition, but very few people are completely color blind.
Most people with color vision deficiency can see colors, but they have difficulty differentiating between the following colors:
- particular shades of reds and greens (most common)
- blues and yellows (less common)
People who are totally color blind, a condition called achromatopsia, can only see things as black and white or in shades of gray.
Color vision deficiency can range from mild to severe, depending on the cause. It affects both eyes if it is inherited and usually just one if it is caused by injury or illness.
Frequently individuals with color vision deficiency aren’t aware of differences among colors that are obvious to the rest of us because they have always seen the way they do and have no other frame of reference. Consequently, people who don’t have the more severe types of color blindness may not even be aware of their condition unless they’re tested in a clinic or laboratory.
Who gets color blindness?
As many as 8 percent of men and 0.5 percent of women with Northern European ancestry have the common form of red-green color blindness. Men are much more likely to be colorblind than women because the genes responsible for the most common, inherited color blindness are on the X chromosome.
To learn more about color blindness, visit Color Blindness At this site, you can learn more about causes of color blindness, the types of color blindness, myths about it. the prevalence of color blindness, types of screening tests, and much more.
An FAQ about color blindness is available at Colblindor
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