Where is color blindness located

Color vision deficiency sometimes called color blindness represents a group of conditions that affect the perception of color. Red-green color vision defects are the most common form of color vision deficiency. Affected individuals have trouble distinguishing between some shades of red, yellow, and green. Blue-yellow color vision defects also called tritan defects , which are rarer, cause problems with differentiating shades of blue and green and cause difficulty distinguishing dark blue from black.

These two forms of color vision deficiency disrupt color perception but do not affect the sharpness of vision visual acuity. A less common and more severe form of color vision deficiency called blue cone monochromacy causes very poor visual acuity and severely reduced color vision. Affected individuals have additional vision problems, which can include increased sensitivity to light photophobia , involuntary back-and-forth eye movements nystagmus , and nearsightedness myopia.

Blue cone monochromacy is sometimes considered to be a form of achromatopsia , a disorder characterized by a partial or total lack of color vision with other vision problems. This condition affects males much more often than females. Among populations with Northern European ancestry, it occurs in about 1 in 12 males and 1 in females. Red-green color vision defects have a lower incidence in almost all other populations studied.

Blue-yellow color vision defects affect males and females equally. This condition occurs in fewer than 1 in 10, people worldwide. Blue cone monochromacy is rarer than the other forms of color vision deficiency, affecting about 1 in , people worldwide. Like red-green color vision defects, blue cone monochromacy affects males much more often than females. The proteins produced from these genes play essential roles in color vision. They are found in the retina , which is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.

The retina contains two types of light receptor cells, called rods and cones , that transmit visual signals from the eye to the brain. Rods provide vision in low light. Cones provide vision in bright light, including color vision. Concept 9: Specialized chromosomes determine gender.

Study of meiosis revealed the chromosomal basis of gender. What is Fragile X? The FMR1 gene produces a protein involved in making cellular connections in the brain. Genes get shuffled when chromosomes exchange pieces. Specialized chromosomes determine gender. What is muscular dystrophy? What causes muscular dystrophy? 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. Macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy cause damage to the retina, which is where the cones are located. This can cause color blindness. In some cases, it causes blindness. If you have a cataract , the lens of your eye gradually changes from transparent to opaque. Your color vision may dim as a result. Certain medications can cause changes in color vision.

These include the antipsychotic medications chlorpromazine and thioridazine. The antibiotic ethambutol Myambutol , which treats tuberculosis , may cause optic nerve problems and difficulty seeing some colors. Color blindness may also be due to other factors.

One factor is aging. Vision loss and color deficiency can happen gradually with age. Additionally, toxic chemicals such as styrene, which is present in some plastics, are linked to the loss of ability to see color. Seeing colors is subjective. However, your eye doctor can test for the condition during a normal eye exam. Testing will include the use of special images called pseudoisochromatic plates. These images are made of colored dots that have numbers or symbols embedded within them.

Only people with normal vision can see these numbers and symbols. If color blindness occurs as the result of illness or injury , treating the underlying cause may help to improve color detection. Your eye doctor may prescribe tinted glasses or contact lenses that can assist in distinguishing colors. People who are colorblind often consciously apply certain techniques or use specific tools to make life easier. For example, memorizing the order of the lights from top to bottom on a traffic light removes the need to distinguish its colors.