Published: 2 August 2016 | Updated: 30 September 2026 | Author: Smart Vision Optometry
Editorial and clinical update — 30 September 2026: The original article/interview below is preserved, including its attributed quotations and editorial structure. Current evidence and guidance below should be relied on where older wording differs.
Published: 2 August 2016 · Last updated: 15 September 2026 · Publisher: Smart Vision Optometry
At a glance: Colour vision deficiency affects how some people distinguish certain colours. It can influence everyday tasks, learning and some career requirements. A colour-vision check can clarify what a child or adult is seeing and guide practical advice. Learn about our eye examinations and signs of early vision issues in children.
Colour blindness is not something many of us think about much. In fact, it seems a pretty harmless and basic thing to have. I mean, if you are going to have something “wrong with you”, then colour blindness isn’t a bad one!
Bringing More Colour to Life
When my son was around 4 or 5 years old we discovered he was colour deficient. Yes, a little embarrassing not to have found it out earlier but hey, I thought he was pulling my leg not knowing his colours… how wrong I was. I am still not aware of any colour blindness in my family other than Hamish, but there you go, he is red-green colour deficient and I gave him that gene!
Colour deficiency or colour blindness can be mildly irritating or at the other end of the spectrum, can affect your career choices, impact your learning and be a hazard to your safety. It can make a simple thing – like coordinating clothes – a challenge, becoming an electrician or pilot impossible, or simply colouring in a source of frustration for the average 6-year-old.
Around 8% of men of European descent have the most common form of colour deficiency (red-green colour blindness) and about 3% of African or Asian men. Conversely, only around 0.5% of women are colour deficient, with a much higher percentage carrying the gene for colour deficiency even though they, in fact, have normal colour vision.
There are two types of cells which regulate colour vision – the rods and cones. There are red, green and blue cones to detect colour and rods to detect light and dark. The majority of the colour deficient population is red-green colour deficient, followed by blue-yellow and lastly a small percentage is completely colour blind. Interestingly, the population of blue-yellow colour deficiency is equally split in gender, but still only amounts to 1 in 10,000 people.
So, all that said, it still doesn’t help knowing you don’t see things the way everyone else does…but just imagine if you could!
Very recently, technology has made advancements in treatment options for colour deficient individuals, offering us prescription and non-prescription lenses that give the wearer the ability to discern the difference between colours.
If you think your child might have a problem with colour differentiation, come in for a chat or an eye test. Here at Smart Vision Optometry we look forward to making your world a brighter, more colourful place.
Frequently asked questions
What is colour vision deficiency?
Colour vision deficiency means some colours are harder to distinguish than they are for people with typical colour vision. The pattern and degree vary, so an individual assessment is more useful than assumptions based on everyday colour naming.
Can an eye examination check colour vision?
Yes. An optometrist can use colour-vision tests as part of an assessment and explain the result in the context of school, work, driving or safety requirements.
Do colour-filtering lenses cure colour vision deficiency?
No. Some filters may change the contrast between colours for some people, but they do not restore typical colour vision. Benefits vary, and any option should be assessed for the person’s needs and activities.
Current evidence and clinical context
The NEI colour-vision guide distinguishes inherited and acquired causes and explains that some lenses can change contrast without curing inherited deficiency.
Career and safety requirements depend on the role and relevant authority; the historical article’s broad exclusions are not an individual eligibility decision. Discuss testing and practical accommodations for the person’s activities.
