What is Color Vision Deficiency?

Colour Vision Deficiency is the inability to discern certain shades of color or in the most critical cases, not see colors at all. The majority of color-blind people can see colors but suffer from a red-green (most common) or blue-yellow (less common) deficiency. There is also a small group of people who are totally color-blind. That condition is called achromatopsia and its sufferers can only see the world in black, white and shades of gray.
Color blindness or Color Vision Deficiency, is typically inherited, but can also be a result of injury or disease. Injury that damages the optic nerve or retina may be one cause color blindness but there are many more. The following is a list of a few of the diseases that are known to cause color deficits:
1.Diabetes
2.Glaucoma
3.Macular Degeneration
4.Alzheimer’s disease
5.Parkinson’s disease
6.Multiple Sclerosis
A person can also suffer from a color vision deficiency or color-blindness from medications used to treat heart problems, high blood pressure, psychological problems, exposure of harmful chemicals to the eyes and aging itself. Yes, as you grow older, the ability to see colors may decrease.
Finally, genetics outweighs all other causes of color blindness. Research shows that 8% of white males struggle with color deficiency to some extent. Although approximately 0.5% of women have color vision deficiency, women are, by and large, only carriers of the color deficient gene. Color vision deficiencies, when inherited, remains constant throughout life but does not lead to additional vision loss or blindness.
If you’ve had an eye injury and are experiencing trouble discerning colors or have a child that you believe may be having trouble recognizing colors, make an appointment with your local Doctors Vision Center eye doctor for a comprehensive eye exam.