Symptoms of color blindness in children and its causes

What is color blindness?

Color blindness is a condition that affects the ability to distinguish colors, and true color blindness, in which the patient does not see any color at all, and this is extremely rare, and most people with this disease have difficulty telling the difference between certain colors, and the problem can range from mild to severe, and the more accurate term for color blindness is color vision deficiency.

The area of the eye that detects light is the retina, and the retina contains two types of photoreceptor cells, namely rods and cones, which sense light and dark rods, and cones perceive colors and there are three categories of them - blue, green, and red cones, and the brain translates signals from the three types of cones to see the spectrum full-color, color-blind people One or more types of cones do not work the way they should, this can reduce color perception or incorrect color detection, in the rare case of complete color blindness, cones are absent. The types of color blindness are:

The most common type of color blindness is a red-green deficiency, and the three types of red-green color blindness are:

Deuteranomaly: making green appear red. This is the most common form of color blindness and is usually mild.

Protanomaly: This makes the red color appear greener and paler, and this type is usually light as well.
Green and red blindness, green and red blindness.

Blue-yellow color blindness is less common and has two forms:

Tritanomaly: It causes problems distinguishing between green, blue, and yellow from red

Tritanopia: The inability to distinguish blue, green, and purple with red and yellow with pink, and the colors appear duller as well.

Vision with the complete absence of color is monochromatic, everything appears in shades of grey and white.

Color blindness tends to run in families and affects males more than females. Certain diseases, medications, and chemicals can also cause a lack of color, and people may find it difficult to distinguish colors as they age as well.

Most of the time, color blindness is mild and people with color blindness can make adjustments to make everyday life easier. In some cases, color blindness correcting glasses or contact lenses can enhance the difference between colors, however, these lenses do not make you see colors better.

The color blindness test is a common screening test in children's health. It is a simple test that involves looking at the pictures made up of different colored dots. People with color blindness have difficulty seeing the number or shape in the picture, if anyone suspects that he or the child is affected. With color blindness, it is important to consult a doctor for a complete eye examination.

In rare cases, color blindness is a sign of a more serious condition, and the complete inability to see color is often associated with strabismus (lazy eye), nystagmus (rapidly bouncing from side to side of the eyes), light sensitivity, and poor vision.

What are the symptoms of color blindness in children?

It is possible for the child to use the wrong colors to color the shapes that may have fixed colors.
The child's inclination to do coloring activity.
In some cases, children may deny the existence of certain colors.
Decreased ability of children to distinguish some colors.
Bright lights cause some discomfort in these children.
The child can see things very well at night.
The child prefers to smell the food before he starts eating it.

Common symptoms of color blindness in children

Common symptoms of color blindness include:

Low color brightness, with normal optical clarity.
Difficulty distinguishing the most common red from green, but also blue from yellow.
Inability to see color shades.

Color blindness is most commonly found in early childhood during routine vision exams. In most cases, color blindness does not affect a person's ability to function day to day. However, some children may have problems learning colors or interpreting systems, or coding instructions. If you notice these problems, it is important to make an appointment with your doctor.

Causes of color blindness in children

Color blindness occurs when there is a defect that affects the cones of the eye, and the cones are photoreceptors, which are specialized cells that detect specific wavelengths of visible light, and there are chemicals in them that translate the wavelength information into an electrical signal that can be transmitted to the brain, and the optic nerve transmits This information is sent to the brain, which translates it into color. The three types of cones sense short (blue), medium (green), and long (red) wavelengths. The absence of certain cones leads to color blindness, and the deficiency can be partial or complete.

In most cases, true color blindness is congenital, which means that people are born with it, and it is also the most common genetic condition.

Red and green color blindness - the most common form - is usually passed from mother to son. The genes associated with red and green color blindness are on the X chromosome. The XY chromosomes determine sex. Males have an X and a Y, while females have two Xs. When a woman passes a chromosome With the X color-blindness gene for her son, the child will be colour-blind, however, the female also gets an X chromosome from the father, unless the father is also colour-blind, then the child has a normal color vision.

The blue and yellow color blindness genes are located on chromosomes other than the XY chromosomes. As a result, males and females have an equal chance of inheriting these genes. Color blindness can also be acquired from causes that include:

Chemicals, including carbon disulfide and alcohol.
Eye diseases, including glaucoma and macular degeneration.
Medicines, including medicines that treat autoimmune diseases, high blood pressure, heart problems, and erectile dysfunction.
Nervous system diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson's disease.
Trauma to the eye or brain.
Vascular diseases, including sickle cell disease.

What are the risk factors for color blindness?

The main risk factor for color blindness is having a family history of it. The most common type of color blindness is a genetic condition. It affects males to a much higher degree than females. An estimated 10% of males have some degree of color blindness, and females are rarely color blind. Risk factors for acquired color blindness include:

aging.
Being a chronic alcoholic.
Having a disease or condition that affects color vision.
Take medications that can change color vision.
Work in an occupation with exposure to chemicals, such as those in fertilizers.

Reducing the risk of color blindness in children.

In most cases, the risk of color blindness cannot be prevented or reduced because it is genetic. This makes early identification important, allowing young children to be screened for possible color blindness and steps to be taken to compensate for the problem if necessary. However, most people either do not notice They have color blindness or are able to function without difficulty.

How is color blindness treated?

In the case of acquired color blindness, doctors treat the underlying condition, which may involve stopping or changing medications. Currently, there is no cure for congenital color blindness. Most people have mild problems and are able to manage and find ways to cope. Strategies include:

Label items, such as clothes and school supplies, or sort them by color with the help of a person with normal color vision.
Memorize the color of things, such as traffic lights.
Order black and white prints and avoid color inks.
Use technology, such as bright lighting and apps that can tell you the color of things.

Special glasses or contact lenses can help some people with color blindness. These lenses use filters and colors to improve the contrast between specific colors, but they won't help you see colors better.

What are the possible complications of color blindness?

Color blindness is usually a harmless problem, however, it can affect the ability to perform certain jobs, examples include electricians, painters, cooks, and pilots, and in children, it can cause difficulty learning colors, and they may have trouble naming the color of things Correctly and using color-coded systems can contribute to low self-esteem and cause embarrassment, and testing color vision before school starts can help avoid these problems.