What Is Color Blindness? Types, Causes and Color Blind Glasses

Color blindness is a common name for color vision deficiency. It happens when the color-sensing cells in the eye, called cones, don't respond to light in the typical way. Most people with color blindness can see colors. They may have trouble telling some shades apart, especially ones that look alike to them.

The main types are grouped by which cones are affected. Red-green color blindness is the most talked-about group. It includes protan types (such as protanopia, where red-sensing cones are missing or not working) and deutan types (such as deuteranopia, where green-sensing cones are missing or not working). Tritan types, including tritanopia, affect blue-yellow perception and are less often discussed. Some people have a milder form, often called an anomaly, and others have a stronger one. A rare form involves seeing very little color at all.

Color blindness is more common in men than in women, and it is often inherited. This is one reason many families notice it across generations. It can also appear later in life because of some eye conditions, health conditions, medicines, or aging, which is a good reason to bring any change to a doctor. Exact numbers vary by population and source, so we don't quote them here.

Color vision has traditionally been checked during an eye exam. Common tools include plates made of dotted patterns that hide numbers or shapes, and arrangement tests where you put colored caps or chips in order. These help show the type and how strong it is.

For inherited color blindness, there has long been no cure. People have traditionally adapted in practical ways. These include labeling items, learning the order of lights and signs, using phone apps or color-naming tools, and asking others for help with color-coded tasks. Many people live well with color blindness and may barely notice it day to day.

Color-enhancing filter glasses and contact lenses are also sold. They do not cure color blindness and do not restore normal color vision. How well they work, if at all, varies with a person's specific type (protan, deutan or tritan) and how severe it is. Some people find they help certain colors stand out, while others notice little change. Because they are marketed as vision products, it is reasonable to ask a licensed provider about what is appropriate for you.

The right independent doctor, such as an eye doctor, may help you confirm whether you have color blindness and which type it appears to be. A visit generally starts with questions about your history, your family, and the colors that give you trouble. It often includes a color vision test and a regular eye exam. Your doctor may also check for other causes if the change in color vision is new.

A provider may also talk through how color blindness shows up in daily life, school, hobbies and work. They can explain what your results mean in plain language and discuss whether tools like color-enhancing glasses might be worth trying for you. Only a licensed clinician can decide what is appropriate after an evaluation, and no outcome is guaranteed.

Questions you might bring: Which type do I seem to have, and how strong is it? Could anything else be affecting my color vision? Would color blind glasses be reasonable for my type, and what should I realistically expect? How might this affect a job I'm interested in? Who sets the color vision requirements for that job? You can find licensed providers through Providers.plus.