Color Blindness

Color Blindness

Approximately 8% of people in the world have color blindness. Color blindness doesn't mean seeing the world in black and white; instead, it alters how certain colors are perceived.

Following are the three types of color vision deficiencies: - 

Deuteranopia: This is a type of red-green color blindness where the green cones in the eye are absent or not functioning properly. People with deuteranopia have difficulty distinguishing between reds, greens, and certain shades of yellow.

Protanopia: Another form of red-green color blindness, but in this case, the red cones are absent or not working. Individuals with protanopia struggle to differentiate between reds and greens, often perceiving red as darker or muted.

Tritanopia: This is a rarer form of color blindness that affects the blue-yellow spectrum. People with tritanopia lack functioning blue cones, leading to difficulty in distinguishing between blues and yellows.

One can identify color blindness through several methods, ranging from self-assessment to professional testing. Here are some options:

  1. Online Tests: There are several online tools like the Ishihara Color Test, which involves identifying numbers or patterns within dot-filled circles. These tests can give a quick indication of potential color vision deficiencies.

  3. Professional Examination: Visiting an ophthalmologist or optometrist is the most accurate way to diagnose color blindness. They use specialized tests like:

    • Ishihara Plates: Similar to the online test, but conducted in a controlled environment.

    • Anomaloscope: A device that evaluates one's ability to match and differentiate colors.

    • Farnsworth-Munsell Hue Test: This involves arranging colored tiles in order.

  4. Everyday Clues: Sometimes people notice their color perception issues through day-to-day activities, like trouble distinguishing traffic light colors or interpreting color-coded information.

Suggested Remedies for rectification / cure - Eye rotation - clockwise and anti clockwise, Cooling the eyes - Washing eyes with sterile water, Applying cucumber slices on the eye lids, Eating yellow fruits - like papaya,