WHAT IS COLOR BLINDNESS
- Color blindness (color vision deficiency) is a fairly common condition in which you don’t see colors
traditionally. This happens when cones (a type of nerve cell in your eye retina) aren’t working
correctly. Cones process light and images as they enter your eye and send signals to your brain that
allow you to perceive color.
- Color blindness usually doesn’t mean you can’t see any colors but they may have trouble telling the
difference between certain colors or shades.
- They may also have trouble telling the difference between certain colors or shades. Still, you can also
acquire color vision deficiency later in life due to medical conditions or other reasons.
TYPES OF COLOR BLINDNESS AND WHAT PEOPLE CAN SEE
- There are several types of color blindness, defined according to which types of cones aren’t working
well. To understand the types of color blindness, it helps to know a bit about cones.
- Cones are nerve cells in your eye that detect colors in the visible spectrum of light. This spectrum
includes all the wavelengths that humans can see. These range in length from 380 nanometers
(short), or nm, to 700 nanometers (long). Normally, you’re born with three types of cones:
Red-sensing cones (L cones): These cones perceive long wavelengths (around 560 nanometers).
Green-sensing cones (M cones): These cones perceive middle wavelengths (around 530
nanometers).
Blue-sensing cones (S cones): These cones perceive short wavelengths (around 420 nanometers).
Most people have all three types of cones, and these work as they should. However, if you have color vision
deficiency, at least one type of cone isn’t working properly. Problems with your cones affect your ability to
see colors traditionally. General categories that describe how many types of cones you have, and how well
they’re working, include:
Red-green color deficiency
- Red-green color deficiency is the most common type of color blindness. It affects how you see any
colors or shades of red or green. There are four main subtypes:
- Protanopia: Your L cones are missing. So, you can’t perceive red light. You mostly see colors as
shades of blue or gold. You may easily confuse different shades of red with black. You may also
confuse dark brown with dark shades of other colors, including green, red or orange.
- Deuteranopia: Your M cones are missing. So, you can’t perceive green light. You mostly see blues
and golds. You may confuse some shades of red with some shades of green. You may also confuse
yellows with bright shades of green.
- Protanomaly: You have all three cone types, but your L cones are less sensitive to red light than they
should be. Red may appear as dark gray, and every color that contains red may be less bright.
- Deuteranomaly: You have all three cone types, but your M cones are less sensitive to green light than
they should be. You see mostly blues, yellows and generally muted colors.
Blue-yellow color deficiency
- Less common
- Tritanopia: You have no S cones. So, you can’t perceive blue light. You see mostly reds, light blues,
pinks, and lavender.
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CHARACTERISTICS AND FEATURES
Trouble seeing colors and the brightness of colors in the usual way.
Inability to tell the difference between shades of the same or similar colors.
This happens most with red and green, or blue and yellow.
Signs and symptoms of color blindness include
Trouble seeing colors and the brightness of colors in the usual way
Inability to tell the difference between shades of the same or similar colors.
This happens most with red and green, or blue and yellow.
Difficulty reading
Drooping eyelid
Only certain shades of a color can be seen
Seeing multiple colors
Constantly being corrected, when naming a color
NURSING DIAGNOSIS
1. Impaired Sensory Perception related to color discrimination deficit*: This diagnosis reflects the patient's
difficulty in accurately perceiving colors due to color blindness, which can affect their ability to differentiate
between colors correctly.
2. Risk for Safety impairment related to color-related hazards*: Color blindness can pose safety risks,
especially in environments where color-coded information or warnings are essential. This diagnosis
addresses the potential risks the patient may face due to their condition.
3. Anxiety related to altered perception of the environment*: Color blindness can lead to feelings of anxiety
or frustration, particularly in situations where color discrimination is necessary, such as reading maps or
traffic signals. This diagnosis acknowledges the emotional impact of the condition on the patient.
MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT
- Currently, there’s no medical treatment or cure for people with inherited color blindness. If you
have acquired color blindness, your healthcare provider will treat the underlying condition or adjust
your medications as needed. This may help improve your color vision.
- color-blindness glasses
PREVENTION
-You can’t prevent inherited color blindness. However, you may be able to lower your risk of acquired color
blindness. Visit a healthcare provider for yearly checkups and ask about your risk for developing color vision
deficiency.
