Color blindness is a disorder impacting the ability to view colors under typical lighting conditions or to discern colors as they are seen by typical people. Typically, the condition is present at birth, but it can also result from injuries or a number of diseases of the eye.

The discernment of color depends on cones located in the eye. Humans are usually born with three types of cones, each of which perceives different wavelengths of color. This is similar to the wavelengths of sound. With pigment, the length of the wave is directly connected to the perceived color tone. Long waves produce reds, moderately-sized waves produce greens and short waves are perceived as blue tones. Which pigmented cone is affected determines the nature and severity of the color deficiency.

Red-green color vision problems are more common in men than among women since the genetic encoding is linked to gender and recessively inherited.

Color vision deficiencies are not a debilitating disability, but they can hinder educational development and work performance. The inability to see colors as fellow students do can devastate a student's self-esteem. For working people, color blindness could be a disadvantage when competing against normal-sighted peers in some fields.  For example, normal color vision is significant for artists, police officers, and electricians.

There are a few exams for color blindness. The most common is the Ishihara color test, named after its inventor. For this test a plate is shown with a group of dots in a circle in various colors and sizes. Within the circle appears a digit in a particular tint. The patient's ability to make out the number within the dots of clashing hues indicates the level of red-green color sight.

Although inherited color blindness can't be treated, there are some measures that can assist to improve the situation. For some, using colored contacts or anti-glare glasses can help people to perceive the distinction between colors. Increasingly, new computer applications are becoming available for regular PCs and for smaller devices that can assist people to enhance color distinction depending on their particular condition. There is also interesting research underway in gene therapy to improve the ability to distinguish colors.

How much color blindness limits a person is dependent upon the kind and degree of the condition. Some individuals can adapt to their condition by familiarizing themselves with alternative cues for colored objects or signs. For instance, they can learn the shape of stop signs rather than recognize red, or compare items with reference objects like green grass or a blue body of water.

If you suspect that you or a family member might be color blind it's recommended to schedule an appointment with an eye doctor. The sooner the condition is diagnosed, the easier it will be to manage. Feel free to call our Hasbrouck Heights, NJ eye care practice to schedule an exam.