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Most of us know what color blindness is – it means the individual can’t distinguish between various colors. In the more severe cases the individual isn’t able to distinguish any colors at all from each other. The most common cause of color blindness is due to genetic factors. This means the individual is born with the deficiency and doesn’t know any different.
The gene that determines the color receptors is found on the X chromosome. Males only have one of them while females have two. As a result more males are color blind. If a mother has one of each type of receptor on the X chromosomes her son’s will have a 50% chance of being colorblind. Males who are color blind can pass the gene on to their daughters. If the mother also carries the gene the daughters may be color blind. Since it takes two genes for females to be color blind there are fewer incidents.
Color blindness may be caused later in life by severe head trauma. It results from the neurological pathways that are from the eyes to the brain being damaged. It is very similar to a road that ends up being unusable due to a tree laying across the road. While the path is still there a clear way to travel along it isn’t found. In some instances the color blindness will only be temporary but in the majority of such cases it is permanent.
Another cause of color blindness later in life is due to the nerves surrounding the eyes becoming damaged. Many dehabilitiating illnesses including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, glaucoma, leukemia, and liver disease can cause damage around these nerves. They aren’t able to reflect light properly and the cones and rods that help with color sensors are altered.
Since there are so many different reasons color blindness occurs it is important to seek medical attention if it comes on suddenly. This may be an indicator of a more serious medical condition that has not been diagnosed yet. Small children won’t know they are color blind because that is how they have seen things since birth. Parents need to watch for indicators such as not being able to identify crayons and primary colors.
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