Color blindness

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Color blindness
Synonyms	Color vision deficiency
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Difficulty distinguishing between certain colors
Complications	N/A
Onset	Congenital or acquired
Duration	Lifelong
Types	N/A
Causes	Genetic mutations, eye, nerve, or brain damage
Risks	Family history, age, certain medications
Diagnosis	Color vision tests such as the Ishihara test
Differential diagnosis	Achromatopsia, blue cone monochromacy
Prevention	N/A
Treatment	Color-corrective lenses, visual aids
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	N/A
Frequency	8% of males, 0.5% of females
Deaths	N/A

Color blindness, as the name suggests, is diminished of absent capacity to perceive differences in color.

Genetics

In most cases, color blindness runs in families, usually X-linked.

Types

Red and green

The most common type of color blindness makes it hard to tell the difference between red and green.

Blue and yellow

Another type makes it hard to tell the difference between blue and yellow.

Complete color blindness

People who are completely color blind don’t see color at all, but that’s not very common.

Symptoms

Difficulty or inability to tell the difference between colors, see bright colors are, and the different shades of colors

Patient might be unaware

Since the symptoms of color blindness are often so mild that you may not notice them. And since we get used to the way we see colors, many people with color blindness don’t know they have it.

Other symptoms

People with very serious cases of color blindness might have other symptoms, too — like quick side-to-side eye movements (nystagmus) or sensitivity to light.

Causes

The most common kinds of color blindness are genetic, meaning they’re passed down from parents. Color blindness can also happen because of damage to your eye or your brain. And color vision may get worse as you get older — often because of cataracts (cloudy areas in the lens of the eye).

Incidence

About 1 in 12 men are color blind Most people with color blindness are born with it, but it doesn’t show up until later in life in many.

Tests

Your eye doctor can usually use a simple test to tell you if you’re color blind using Isahart chart etc

Treatment

There’s no cure for color blindness that’s passed down in families, but most people find ways to adjust to it.

Children with color blindness

Children with color blindness may need help with some classroom activities, and adults with color blindness may not be able to do certain jobs, like being a pilot, commercial driver, or graphic designer.

Glasses and contacts

Special contact lenses and glasses may help people who are color blind tell the difference between colors.

Visual aids

You can use visual aids, apps, and other technology to help you live with color blindness.

Smart phone apps

There are certain apps where you can use an app to take a photo with your phone or tablet and then tap on part of the photo to find out the color of that area.

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