What Color Blindness Really Looks Like

When you think of a person who experiences color blindness, you might imagine that they see the world in black and white, like an old TV show. Fortunately, most people who experience color blindness do not have total color blindness, as the condition is quite rare. In this post, we’ll explore exactly what color blindness is and what people who have color blindness see when they open their eyes.

What Is Color Blindness?

Color blindness is a visual problem that makes it challenging to differentiate between two shades. The most common types of color blindness are red-green and blue-yellow. As we mentioned, complete color blindness is very rare, and most people are still able to see color to some extent.

Color blindness is most prevalent in Caucasian males, which may be due to a genetic mutation or lack of genes that contribute to color perception.

What Causes Color Blindness?

In the human eye, there are three different types of cones that receive color. Typically, these cones can sense red, blue, and green. People who are missing some of the pigments or those whose pigments are mutated genetically may experience color blindness.

Inherited genes can cause photopigments to not detect color properly; physical and chemical damage to the eyes can also lead to color blindness.

What Do People With Color Blindness See?

The types of images that people with color blindness see can differ depending on a few factors, including the type of colorblindness they have and the severity of their color blindness.

People who have trouble telling the difference between red and green may see red and green shades as yellowish-gray. People with color blindness that makes it hard to differentiate between blue and yellow may also have trouble telling the difference between colors that include aspects of blue and yellow, including pink, red, purple, and green.

People who have complete color blindness see no color at all. Instead, they see shades of white, gray, and black.

Adjusting the lighting can make a big difference for people with color blindness. Since color vision doesn’t work well in low lighting, increasing the light in the home often makes it easier for people with color blindness to make the most of their vision.

Is Color Blindness Treatable?

There is no cure for color blindness, but people with the condition can learn to detect colors based on how they appear to them. Learning to adjust to life with color blindness can help you overcome many challenges, such as driving, without needing permanent assistance.

At Kirk Eye Center, Dr. John D. Kirk and Dr. Dustin Asay offer specialized care for patients with all ocular conditions. If you would like to learn more about how we can help you care for your eyes, please contact us online or call the Kirk Eye Center in Loveland, CO, at 970-669-1107.