Color vision deficiency is the inability to distinguish certain shades of color or in more severe cases, see colors at all. The term "color blindness" is also used to describe this visual condition, but very few people are completely color blind.

Most people with color vision deficiency can see colors, but they have difficulty differentiating between particular shades of reds and greens (most common) or blues and yellows (less common).

People who are totally color blind, a condition called achromatopsia, can only see things as black and white or in shades of gray.

The severity of color vision deficiency can range from mild to severe depending on the cause. It will affect both eyes if it is inherited and usually just one if the cause for the deficiency is injury or illness.

Color vision is possible due to photoreceptors in the retina of the eye known as cones. These cones have light sensitive pigments that enable us to recognize color. Found in the macula, the central portion of the retina, each cone is sensitive to either red, green or blue light, which the cones recognize based upon light wavelengths.

Normally the pigments inside the cones register differing colors and send that information through the optic nerve to the brain enabling you to distinguish countless shades of color. But if the cones lack one or more light sensitive pigments, you will be unable to see one or more of the three primary colors thereby causing a deficiency in your color perception.

The most common form of color deficiency is red-green. This does not mean that people with this deficiency cannot see these colors at all; they simply have a harder time differentiating between them. The difficulty they have in correctly identifying them depends on how dark or light the colors are.

Another form of color deficiency is blue-yellow. This is a rarer and more severe form of color vision loss than red-green since persons with blue-yellow deficiency frequently have red-green blindness too. In both cases, it is common for people with color vision deficiency to see neutral or gray areas where a particular color should appear.

Usually, color deficiency is an inherited condition caused by a common X-linked recessive gene, which is passed from a mother to her son. But disease or injury damaging the optic nerve or retina can also result in loss of color recognition.

In the majority of cases, genetics is the predominate cause for color deficiency. About 8% of Caucasian males are born with some degree of color deficiency. Women are typically just carriers of the color deficient gene, though approximately 0.5% of women have color vision deficiency. When the deficiency is hereditary, the severity generally remains constant throughout life. Inherited color vision deficiency does not lead to additional vision loss or blindness.

Color deficiency can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination. Testing will include the use of a series of specially designed pictures composed of colored dots, called pseudisochromatic plates, which include hidden numbers or embedded figures that can only be correctly seen by persons with normal color vision.

Early detection of color deficiency is vital since many learning materials rely heavily on color perception or color coding. That is one reason that the American Optometric Association recommends a comprehensive optometric examination before a child begins school.

Though color vision deficiency can be a frustration and may limit participation in some occupations, in most cases it is not a serious threat to vision and can be adapted to your lifestyle with time, patience and practice.

If you or a family member would like to be tested for color deficiency please contact our offices in Stillwater @ 405-372-1715 or Pawnee @ 918-762-2573.