The 3 types of color blindness (and their characteristics)

Diagnosis of color blindness or color blindnessAlthough it is relatively easy to detect, it often goes undetected for many years and is only seen reflected before a casual exposure to an Ishihara test or before an exam such as the typical driver's license drive.

Although it may sound strange, it is what happens in a large number of cases: we do not stop to think about how we see, we just do it and think that our color, for example, blue, is the same as that perceived by other people.

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Brief definition of color blindness

Color blindness or color blindness is a disorder of genetic origin in which the person who suffers from it does not have in his visual system the same number of types of cones or he has them but they are altered.

This is due to the fact that we do not have the necessary elements to capture the wave frequencies that make that we capture light in the form of different colors, which is due to sensory cells called cones.

Although most people have three types of cones (one for red, one for green, and one for blue), and even in some In women, four have been detected (although this is very rare), color blind people will have three, with at least one of them altered or less.

This means that we cannot capture the wave frequency necessary to capture certain colors, perceiving the stimulation under a different wave frequency. In this way, the subject will not be able to appreciate a color and those linked to it, perceiving them as if they were others.

The different types of color blindness

Color blindness can present in different modalities, depending on the type of pigments that are not available or that are altered. Specifically, there are three main types of color blindness, which are explained below.

1. Achromatism

This is a very rare condition. Achromatism or monochromatism appears when the subject does not have any pigment or the cones in question are not functional in any case. The vision in this case is based on the information extracted from the cells that capture light, the rods, showing only in gray scale, black and white.

2. Dichromatism

Generally, when we think of someone with color blindness we tend to identify them with someone who suffers from dichromatism. It is understood as such the type of color blindness caused by the absence of one of the types of pigments, with which it is not possible to perceive or the color in question or the colors associated with it (for example, if someone cannot see the color red, their perception of the color will also be altered). orange). In this case, the wave frequency that allows the perception of color cannot be captured, so that the The pigment that captures the closest wave frequency will perform its function, causing the colors.

Within dichromatism we can identify three basic typologies.

2.1. Protanopia

The subject cannot capture the wave frequencies that allow the color red to be seen, which has a long wave frequency. The color red tends to be perceived as beige or gray, sometimes with greenish tones. If the wave frequency is very high, yellow is perceived.

2.2. Tritanopia

The least common of the types of dichromatism, affecting the perception of shortwave frequencies. The person suffering from tritanopia does not have the pigment corresponding to the color blue, which is often confused with green. Also yellows tend to look like red, violet or white.

23. deuteranopia

It is the most common type of color blindness along with protanopia. In this case, it lacks the green pigment, not being able to capture wave frequencies typical of that color (which would be medium wave frequencies). Green is not captured, generally looking beige. The perception of red also tends to be affected, having brownish tones.

3. anomalous trichromatism

Anomalous trichromatism occurs when the person in question has the same three types of pigments as the majority of the population, but nevertheless at least one is altered and not functional. Although it is possible that if they have mild non-functional color perception, they need the stimulation be too intense to be able to capture it, being more probable that your vision is similar to that of a dichromat.

Within this type of color blindness we can find three subtypes depending on which of the pigments is not functional.

3.1. Protanomaly

In this case, the subject is capable of perceiving green and blue colors normally, but red is not assimilated and captured normally.

3.2. Tritanomaly

Blue is not captured correctly, and it is easy to be confused with others depending on the wave frequency that is captured. Red and green are picked up normally.

3.3. deuteranomaly

The anomaly is in this case in the green pigment, which cannot be fully perceived.