COLOR BLINDNESS

By Akash Velu

Velu, Akash12/10/11 P2B Abrams

Other Names for Color Blindness

Color Blindness Color Deficiency These are the only two names for color

blindness. However, there are many types of color blindness. Here are four:

Protanomaly Deuteranomaly Protanopia Daltonism

What Happens in Color Blindness?Color Blindness

is a genetic disorder when a person cannot tell some colors apart. For example, people with color blindness may think that red is green. Color blindness is often mistaken as people seeing in black and white. However, this is not the case. Color blindness is caused because the person with color blindness is lacking a type of cone in their eye that helps see red, green, or blue light.

People who have color blindness will also have trouble seeing brightness of colors. In a few cases, color blindness can be caused by a drug called hydroxychloroquine which helps treat arthritis. However, it is mainly a genetic disorder.

How is Color Blindness Inherited?

Color blindness is inherited from a gene on the X chromosome. Men have only one X chromosome. On the other hand, women have two. This means that in order for a man to have color blindness, men only need one gene for color blindness(from one parent.) However, women, to be color blind, need a gene from both their parents. If a woman only has one, the normal gene on her second X chromosome will dominate over the color blindness gene. In other words, the gene for color blindness is recessive.

Frequency of Color Blindness

Color Blindness is more common in men than in women. This is explained in slide four(the previous slide. ) Since men have only one X chromosome, even if they only get one color blindness gene, that person will be color blind. However, in order for a woman to be color blind, they need two genes for color blindness because women have two X chromosomes, and the normal chromosome is dominant, but the color blind chromosme is recessive. About 1 in every ten men have some type of color blindness. Also, only about 0.5 % of the women born are color blind.

Symptoms of Color Blindness

Color blindness is when a person can’t tell two similar colors apart. As shown in the picture, the signal has the colors red, yellow, and green. However, from a color blind person’s eyes, all the colors look like a type of yellow. There are many types of color blindness. In one type, the affected person may not be able to tell red apart from yellow. For example, in protanomaly, a type of color blindness, the affected person sees the colors red, orange, and yellow as green.

Treatment for Color blindness

Color blindness is usually discovered at a young age as children are learning colors. However, in a few cases, color blindness can be confirmed with a chart that looks the picture on the right. There is no treatment for color blindness. However, there are special lenses and glasses that help people tell colors apart. Color blindness is tested usually at eye doctor offices. On the picture on the right, color blind people should not see the boat.

Interesting Facts About Color Blindness

It is commonly mistaken that dogs are color blind. However, they are not.

Color blindness is a recessive trait. People with color blindness get rejected

from jobs often. The name Daltonism is named after a

scientist named John Dalton. Color blind people have the most trouble

with matching clothes and getting ripe bananas.

John Dalton was a color blind person.

Pictures!!!

Bibliography Interactive Explorer. Bodyworks San Diego, CA. Quarto Children’s

Books, 2010 Daniel Fluck. “50 Facts About Color Blindness”. Colblindor.com 2006.

Colblindor.

http://www.colblindor.com/2009/01/06/50-facts-about-color-blindness/ Dr. Rabin. “What is Colorblindness and the Different Types?”

Testing Color Vision.com. ColorVisionTesting. http://colorvisiontesting.com/color2.htm

science.jrank. “Color Blindness-Inherited or Acquired Defect” science.jrank.org. 2011. Net Industries and its licensors. http://science.jrank.org/pages/1605/Color-Blindness-Inherited-or-acquired-defect.html

MedicinePlus. “Color Blindness”. MedicinePlus. 2011. US Department of Health and Human Services. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001002.htm