Importance of Color Vision

Hello,

Welcome to my blog, i hope you are staying safe even as we continue to battle this pandemic. More hope erupt for future as cure news continue to spring up across the globe. Hopefully this too shall pass soon.

Image by DanielHannah of Pixabay

Introduction

Most often than not we undermine how important color vision is and its contribution to our everyday lives. Mostly because we hardly have any problems with our color vision and since most of us can see in color from infancy we never bothered about it much.

But have you ever thought about a situation where the color you supposed is a particular one is not? When you say a color is say red and your friends say otherwise? Maybe you have encountered a situation like that or maybe not but you can surely imagine the confusion either party may feel.

How We See Color

Our ability to perceive color is as a result of cells in our retina we call cones. These cones come in 3 different forms, basically long, short and medium wavelength cones. Each react accordingly based on the length of the wavelength of the color reaching the eye.

In situations where there happens to be an anomaly we have individuals coming up with color vision defects. Depending on the type or form of cone that may be affected one may experience or be diagnosed of either Monochromacy, Dichromacy (Deuteranopia or Protanopia) and Trichromacy.

In Monochromacy there is only one cell available for color vision, in Dichromacy there are two cells available for color vision and in Trichromacy the individual has all the three cells necessary for color vision however there are shifts in the efficiency of one or more of the cells.

How Important is Color Vision

Whiles color vision defects may not come out as a very serious condition that needs critical care and attention, having a color vision defects may have some detrimental effect in your vision and on your lifestyle. In the case of children or students it may affect their studies since educational is a lot more graphical in our contemporary society.

The knowledge of color vision defect may also affect the psychology of an individual causing them to either look down on themselves or feel they are not ok. Additionally, having a color vision defect may affect one's choice of profession. Some career choices require that an individual not only have good visual acuity but also very good color vision such that they can discriminate well between certain colors. But having a color vision defect is not a death sentence or anything that warrants any form of discrimination or stigmatization as a matter of fact one can and should enjoy their life to the fullest even as a color vision defective individual.

Way Forward

The advent of technology and modern ways of doing things provide some solutions to some of the problems of color vision. There are spectacles available with particular tints that enhance vision of particular colors particular those that may be defective in an individual to help them with discrimination.

Again, the theory of brightness and contrast can be used by these individuals to ascertain that a particular may be this or that although they may not be seeing it as everyone else.

There are counseling units available to individuals who may be too disturbed by their diagnosis so it does not have serious repercussions on their lives.

Conclusion

Our vision is important, every aspect of vision is important. Our Eyes are delicate and so it is important that we report all ocular and emergency cases to our optometrist as soon as possible. Seek information from the right source and do well to protect yourself and your families from potential ocular hazards.