Color Blindness
genetic disorder
Color blindness is when light sensing receptors do not work properly
- Single gene mutation located on X chromosome
- First discovered by John Dalton in 1794, who described his own color blindness
- Does not effect the life expectancy
Harm
- Color blindness affects a person's ability to see the difference between colors like red, green, blue, and yellow.
- There are many different types and each affects the ability to see different colors.
Inheritance
- Caused by abnormal pigments on X chromosome
- Recessive trait
- Majority passed down
- Also can be caused by physical or chemical damage to eye
- Effects one in twelve men and one in two hundred women
Diagnostic tests
- Optometrists test color vision as a matter of routine
- Isihara Plate test done for red and green color blindness
- Most common for routine involving 38 plates of circles with irregular colors
- Lantern test is used on train drivers or in marine and aviation jobs
Prevention and Treatment
- Can take medications from doctor
- Color filters or contact lenses can be used to enhance brightness
- Many find this confusing
- Color blind people often have trouble with daily life and cannot do many jobs
Organizations
- Many different organizations available for certain types of color blindness
- Some are, PA Association for the Blind, Colour Blind Awareness, and NAACBP, National Association for the Advancement of Color-Blind People
Anamalous Trichromacy
- All 3 cones can show light but 1 is lightly out of alignment
- Three effects possible
- Protanomaly- sensitivity to red
- Deuteranomaly-sensitivity to green, most common
- Tritanomaly-sensitivity to blue, extremely rare
Dichromacy
- Two cones can show color
- Protanopia-red
- Deuteranopes-green
- Tritanopes-blue
Monochromacy
- No cones can show color
- No color at all
- 1 in 33,000 people