Color Blindness

Color blindness is a condition that affects the way a person distinguishes two or more colors, most commonly red and green. It is also possible to lack the ability to distinguish any type of color, though this is very rare.

CAUSES

The most common cause of color blindness is a problem in the development of the color-sensing ability in nerve cells of the eye, called cones. Cones are found in the retina, which is the layer of tissue at the back of the eye on which light is focused. 

This problem is most commonly inherited from mutations on the X chromosome. Because of that genetic location, color blindness is more common in men than in women (who have two X chromosomes and a higher likelihood of having at least one that is sufficient to provide normal color vision). 

Other causes include accidents or trauma, side effects from certain types of medication, and damage to the retina.

DIAGNOSIS

The Ishihara Color Test is the most common way to diagnosis color deficiencies. It is a series of pictures made up of colored spots with a figure embedded in it as a slightly different color. The figure can be seen with normal color vision, but not with a particular color defect. 

In this picture, the number 74 should be visible to people with normal color vision. Viewers with certain deficiencies may see it as 21, and others with more drastic color blindness may not see any number at all. 

TREATMENT

There is no treatment to cure color blindness. People who suffer from color blindness have to learn to adapt to the lack of color vision. However, there are strives toward helping color blind people. Check out these apps designed specifically for people with color deficiencies.