How does colour vision work?
The pins mentioned above can detect three basic colours. These are red, green and blue. The perception of the other colours is the result of mixing them. To have perfect colour vision, the different colour recognition pins must work perfectly, and in the right proportion. If one of them is only able to function poorly, or is missing completely, this results in colour perception problems.
The causes behind colour vision disorders
As we have already written, this eye problem is most often hereditary. In particular, because it is sex-linked, it affects a greater number of men. Of course, there are also cases of acquired colour vision. It can be caused by an eye condition such as glaucoma or cataracts, or as a side effect of certain medicines or chemicals.
It can also be caused by an accident that damages the brain or the retina, but without adequate protection, it can also be caused by exposure to strong UV radiation. Temporary colour vision disturbances can also be caused by intense migraines. If it is hereditary, this condition is unfortunately irreversible, and the best we can do is to use specially designed glasses or contact lenses to make our daily lives more comfortable and colourful. Some acquired types are reversible.
Characteristics and types of colour deception and colour blindness
We talk about colour misalignment when there is a disturbance in the perception of a colour. In this case, the ability to recognise the colour in question is reduced, the patient sees it as much fainter, or finds it very difficult to distinguish it from its surroundings.
In colour blindness, the perception of the colour is completely lost. In this case, the colour concerned appears only greyish.
It is very rare, but complete colour blindness can also occur when all three sensory cells are missing. In this case, not only is there a problem with colour perception, but the sharpness of vision is also impaired.
The most common colours that are affected are red and green. These are known as red colour blindness, green colour blindness or colour blindness, depending on which colour you are looking at. More rarely, blue colour blindness or colour blindness is a problem in distinguishing blue from yellow.
How can the problem be detected?
It is an interesting fact that in many cases a colour deceiver does not even know that it is. They learn from childhood what shades are called and have no idea that they should be seen differently. In such cases, it is usually only during a screening test that he learns the diagnosis.
Colour vision is tested by using pictures that hide colour numbers or figures, such as the Ishihara test, which is difficult for colourblind people to recognise and impossible for colour-blind people. A more accurate indication of the severity of the problem can be obtained by a test called an anomaloscope, which uses colour mixing to determine the degree of colour confusion and which colours are affected.
If there is a family history of colour vision problems, it is worth looking at an early age to see whether children have either type.
Ishihara test to assess the colour perception of your eyes. Colour blindness is usually a hereditary problem that results in colour perception disorders. This is why there are a significant number of cases where a screening test is the only way to detect the problem. Because colour blindness patients learn from an early age what the shade of colour they see is called, they do not know that they are actually seeing colours incorrectly.
Colour deception and colour blindness
One of the most common types of colour blindness is when there is confusion in recognising the colours red and green. In this case, the colourblind person either sees the colour as fainter or finds it much harder to distinguish it from its surroundings. If the colour in question is not only faded but also completely grey to the patient, this is called colour blindness, which is a significant visual impairment.
Various eye diseases (e.g. cataracts, fundus diseases, side effects of medication) can also lead to changes in the quality of previous colour vision.
The first step in finding out about these is a test called the Ishihara test.
The colour test gives only general indications of colour mismatch. If you feel that you are having difficulty identifying colours, we recommend that you contact us for further testing.
