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Color blindness
Color deficiency; Blindness - color
Color blindness is the inability to see some colors in the usual way.
Causes
Color blindness occurs when there is a problem with the pigments in certain nerve cells of the eye that sense color. These cells are called cones. They are found in the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye, called the retina .
Retina
The retina is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eyeball. Images that come through the eye's lens are focused on the retina. Th...
If just one pigment is missing, you may have trouble telling the difference between red and green. This is the most common type of color blindness. If a different pigment is missing, you may have trouble seeing blue-yellow colors. People with blue-yellow color blindness often have problems seeing reds and greens, too.
The most severe form of color blindness is achromatopsia. This is a rare condition in which a person cannot see any color, only shades of gray.
Most color blindness is due to a genetic problem . About 1 in 10 men have some form of color blindness. Very few women are color blind.
Genetic problem
Sex-linked diseases are passed down through families through one of the X or Y chromosomes. X and Y are sex chromosomes. Dominant inheritance occur...
The drug hydroxychloroquine (Plaquenil) can also cause color blindness. It is used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person, but may include:
- Trouble seeing colors and the brightness of colors in the usual way
- Inability to tell the difference between shades of the same or similar colors
Often, symptoms are so mild that people may not know they are color blind. A parent may notice signs of color blindness when a young child is first learning colors.
Rapid, side-to-side eye movements (nystagmus) and other symptoms may occur in severe cases.
Exams and Tests
Your health care provider or eye specialist can check your color vision in several ways. Testing for color blindness is a common part of an eye exam .
Eye exam
A standard ophthalmic exam is a series of tests done to check your vision and the health of your eyes.
Treatment
There is no known treatment. Special contact lenses and glasses may help people with color blindness tell the difference between similar colors.
Outlook (Prognosis)
Color blindness is a lifelong condition. Most people are able to adjust to it.
Possible Complications
People who are colorblind may not be able to get a job that requires the ability to see colors accurately. For example, electricians, painters, and fashion designers need to be able to see colors accurately.
Whe to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your provider or eye specialist if you think you (or your child) may have color blindness.
References
Adams AJ, Verdon WA, Spivey BE. Color vision. In: Tasman W, Jaeger EA, eds. Duane's Foundations of Clinical Ophthalmology . 2013 ed. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2013:vol. 2, chap 19.
Crouch ER, Crouch ER, and Grant TR. Ophthalmology. In: Rakel RE, Rakel DP eds. Textbook of Family Medicine . 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 17.
Wiggs JL. Molecular genetics of selected ocular disorders. In: Yanoff M, Duker JS, eds. Ophthalmology . 4th ed. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Saunders; 2014:chap 1.2.
Review Date: 5/11/2015
Reviewed By: Franklin W. Lusby, MD, Ophthalmologist, Lusby Vision Institute, La Jolla, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
