Color blindness is a condition where a person has difficulty distinguishing between certain colors or even all colors. Usually, this happens because there is a problem with the cells in the retina of the eye or also called Cone cells (cone cells) which play a role in detecting color. Why can color blindness occur and what causes it? To answer this question, see the full article below.
What Causes Color Blindness?
Color blindness is often considered to be 'innate' or genetic, as the majority of this condition occurs from birth. However, there are several things that cause someone to experience color blindness, such as:
1. Hereditary (Genetic) Factors
Genetic factors inherited from parents are the main cause of color blindness. Men are found to experience this condition more than women. This is because men have one X chromosome and one Y chromosome, so they are more susceptible to hereditary color blindness.
2. Certain Eye Diseases
Color vision disorders can be caused by several eye conditions, including the following:
- Glaucoma: A disease that causes increased pressure in the eye, which can damage the optic nerve and impair color perception.
- Macular Degeneration: A condition that affects the central part of the eye (macula), resulting in blurred central vision and color blindness.
- Cataracts: A condition that causes the lens of the eye to become cloudy and reduces the eye's ability to see colors clearly.
3. Eye Injury
Physical injury or trauma to the eye that causes damage to the retina or optic nerve can result in color vision disorders. In addition, diseases that affect the optic nerve, such as optic nerve inflammation, can also cause color blindness.
4. Aging
As we age, the retina and the cone cells within it can degenerate, resulting in a decrease in a person's ability to distinguish colors, especially in low light situations.
5. Use of Certain Medications
There are several types of drugs such as autoimmune drugs, heart drugs, high blood pressure drugs, nerve disorder drugs that have side effects that affect vision conditions and can cause color blindness.
6. Exposure to Chemicals
Long-term exposure to certain chemicals can also affect the retina and cause color vision disorders. Examples of such chemicals include carbon disulfide, which is often used in the rayon industry.
Get to Know the Types of Color Blindness
Color blindness conditions are divided into 3 based on the eye's ability to see color, namely:
1. Red-Green Color Blindness
Here are some signs experienced by people with red-green color blindness:
- Protanopia: A condition in which the cone cells that recognize the color red do not function, so that the color red appears dark or black.
- Protanomaly: Cone cells in the eye are damaged, causing sufferers to see red colors as faded or yellowish.
- Deuteranopia: The cone cells that are sensitive to the color green are damaged, so people with deuteranopia cannot distinguish between green and red.
- Deuteranomaly: Green cone cells are damaged and cannot function, so green appears duller and is difficult to distinguish from red.
2. Blue-Yellow Color Blindness
- Tritanopia: This is a very rare condition where the blue cone cells do not function or are missing, so that a person with color blindness has difficulty distinguishing between blue and green and yellow and red.
- Tritanomaly: The cone cells do not function fully, resulting in blues appearing duller and yellows appearing gray or brown.
3. Total Color Blindness (Monochromacy)
In this condition, a person cannot see any colors, here are the types:
- Cone Monochromacy: Cone cells only function one, so a person can only see one color spectrum. Usually only gray is seen.
- Rod Monochromacy: This condition is also called Achromatopsia where all the cone cells are not functioning, resulting in a person only being able to see in black, gray, and white.
How to overcome
Color blindness is a condition where the eyes have difficulty recognizing colors due to hereditary factors, which until now has not been found a way to cure it. However, to avoid the risk of hereditary color blindness, you can consult before planning a pregnancy.
Furthermore, several efforts can be made to avoid the risks of certain diseases, including:
- Regularly have health and eye checks
- Consume nutritious food
- Living a healthy lifestyle and exercising regularly
If you or someone close to you has difficulty recognizing certain colors, you should immediately consult a doctor to get the right examination and treatment.
Article written by: dr. Fadjar SN. Soebali, Sp.M (Eye Specialist Doctor, EMC Hospital, Tangerang).