What makes some people colorblind

The gene which is responsible for the condition is carried on the X chromosome and this is the reason why many more men are affected than women. The inheritance process is explained in more detail in the section Inherited Colour Vision Deficiency. Some people also acquire the condition as a result of long-standing diseases such as diabetes, multiple sclerosis, some liver diseases and almost all eye diseases. To read more about acquired conditions click here. The effects of colour vision deficiency can be mild, moderate or severe depending upon the defect.

The retina of the eye has two types of light-sensitive cells called rods and cones. Colourblindness can be one symptom of this condition. Colourblindness also can occur when ageing processes damage retinal cells. An injury or damage to areas of the brain where vision processing takes place also can cause colour vision deficiencies.

Gene therapy has cured colourblindness in monkeys , according to researchers at the University of Washington. While these findings in animals look promising, gene therapy will not be considered for humans until treatments are proven to be safe. Meanwhile, there is no cure for colourblindness. But some coping strategies may help you function better in a colour-oriented world. Most people are able to adapt to colour vision deficiencies without too much trouble. But some professions, such as graphic design and occupations that require handling various colours of electrical wiring, depend on accurate colour perception.

If you become aware early in life that you are colourblind, you may want to choose a career that does not require accurate colour perception. Diagnosing colour vision deficiency early also may prevent learning problems during school years, particularly because many learning materials rely heavily on colour perception.

If your child has a colour deficiency, be sure to speak with his or her teachers about it, so they can plan their lessons and presentations accordingly. Some people use special lenses to enhance colour perception, which are filters available in either contact lens or eyeglass lens form.

One example are colourblind glasses developed by EnChroma. The tinted lenses in EnChroma's colourblind glasses include patented light-filtering technology to give people with the common forms of colourblindness the ability to see the broad spectrum of bright colours most of us take for granted, according to the company.

If you have a colour vision deficiency, see an optician near you to discuss if colourblind glasses are a good choice for you. Different shades of a color may all look the same. Color blindness is often apparent at a young age when children are learning their colors. For example, they know that grass is green, so they call the color they see green.

You should consult your doctor if you suspect you or your child is colorblind. In one type, the person has trouble telling the difference between red and green. In another type, the person has difficulty telling yellow and blue apart.

The third type is called achromatopsia. Achromatopsia is the least common form of color blindness. Inherited color blindness is more common. This means that the condition passes down through the family. Someone who has close family members who are colorblind is more likely to have the condition as well.

Diseases that damage the optic nerve or the retina of the eye can cause acquired color blindness. For that reason, you should alert your doctor if your color vision changes. It might indicate a more serious underlying issue. The eye contains nerve cells called cones that enable the retina , a light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye, to see colors.

Three different kinds of cones absorb various wavelengths of light, and each kind reacts to either red, green, or blue. The cones send information to the brain to distinguish colors. The majority of color vision deficiency is inherited. It typically passes from mother to son. With glaucoma , the internal pressure of the eye, or the intraocular pressure, is too high. The pressure damages the optic nerve , which carries signals from the eye to the brain so that you can see.

As a result, your ability to distinguish colors may diminish. This problem is called color blindness, and it is much more common in men than in women. It is essentially a dysfunction within the retina, but it generally does not interfere with everyday life.

The types of cells that read color in the retina do not work correctly or are not present. There is no surgery or treatment option to correct color blindness. It is a life-long condition. The most common symptom of color blindness is having trouble distinguishing between shades of reds and greens. Some people with color blindness are only able to see a few shades of a certain color, while most people can see thousands of shades of that very same color.

Although, there are some people who have it so mildly they may not realize it until a little later in life. Approximately 8 percent of males have this condition, while less than 1 percent of females are color-blind.