Do you really know what colour blindness looks like?

COLOUR blindness doesn’t mean seeing the world in black and white.

While complete colour blindness known as achromatopsia, is a rare condition where individuals see only shades of grey, most people with colour vision deficiency experience difficulty distinguishing certain colours, with four main types identified.

According to Avisena Specialist Hospital, consultant ophthalmologist, Dr Norwazilah Mohd Ansul, people with colour blindness often struggle to distinguish between red and green or blue and yellow.

“The common misconception is that people with colour blindness only see black and white.

"All colour blindness is different, and it is not a disability. Most importantly, colour blindness is not contagious,” she said when contacted recently.

She highlighted that there are four main types of colour blindness, in which first is protanopia, where individuals struggle to distinguish red and green, often seeing red as a darker shade of green.

The second is deuteranopia, which also affects red-green perception, with green appearing more like red. Tritanopia involves difficulty distinguishing blue and yellow—blue may look gray or yellow, and yellow may appear green. The most severe form is achromatopsia, or complete colour blindness, where a person sees only in black, white, and shades of grey.

Dr Norwazilah added that misconceptions about the condition can lead to discrimination, with some assuming those affected are incapable of tasks involving colour, even leading to job restrictions in certain fields.

“However, many people with colour blindness can perform well, as they can rely on other cues and visual aids,” she added.

She further stressed that red-green colour blindness is more common in men due to its genetic basis, it's an X-linked recessive condition.

Since men have only one X chromosome, they are more likely to be affected, whereas women would need to inherit the affected gene from both parents to experience the condition.

She also emphasised that colour blindness doesn't limit a person’s ability to live a normal, fulfilling life.

“The challenges between men and women are about the same. They have a problem differentiating colors like traffic lights, food preparation and clothing sections.

“Just in women, they might have a problem with activities involving makeup. In education and work it can impact if the job performance requires color recognition,” she said.

Dr Norwazilah pointed out that individuals with colour blindness often adapt by labeling colour-coded items to avoid confusion or by organising objects based on patterns or textures rather than colour alone.

She also noted the availability of color-corrective tools like EnChroma lenses, which can improve color perception.

In addition, she stated that a variety of apps and software programs are now available to support those with color vision deficiencies, making everyday tasks more accessible.