Colorblind

Colorblind, in reference to color vision deficiency, is a decreased or altered ability to perceive colors. Most commonly, this involves trouble distinguishing red from green or blue from yellow. The condition results from abnormalities or absence of cone cells in the retina, or from disturbances in the brain's processing of color information.

Most color vision deficiencies are inherited and X-linked, explaining why they are more prevalent in males. The best-known forms are red-green deficiencies: protanopia and deuteranopia (no sensitivity to red or green, respectively) and their anomalous counterparts protanomaly and deuteranomaly. Blue-yellow deficiencies, such as tritanopia, are rarer. Total color blindness, or achromatopsia, is very uncommon.

Diagnosis is typically made with color-vision tests such as Ishihara plates or more comprehensive assessments using anomaloscopy and hue tests. In daily life, color differences can complicate tasks that rely on color cues, including selecting ripe fruit, interpreting charts, or negotiating traffic lights. Some careers require screening.

There is no widely available cure. Management focuses on coping strategies and compensatory tools: color-correcting lenses may help some individuals; digital devices can adjust color balance; and training can improve color-discrimination in practical tasks. In design and information systems, accessibility guidelines advise avoiding color as the sole cue.

Socially, colorblind describes a stance that disregards race or ethnicity in discussions of prejudice, sometimes referred to as colorblindness. Critics argue it can ignore ongoing disparities. In education and policy, the term is used to discuss how color information is treated in inclusive practices.