Color blindness is a relatively common problem, though it is more common in men. About 1 in 12 men suffer from the condition, while about 1 in 200 women have it.

Despite its ubiquity, color blindness is often misunderstood. In contrast to what its name suggests, color blindness does not mean that the person cannot see any color. Most people who suffer from it cannot fully see reds, greens and blues. The experience can be like looking at an overexposed photo or one that has lost its saturation.

Sometimes, color blindness can cause a person to mix up colors. For example, if a person has trouble seeing reds, they might not be able to distinguish between purple and blue. Without the red tint in the purple, it will appear as blue. Other colors that can be affected include reds, greens, oranges, browns, pinks and greys.

It is very rare that a person would not be able to see any colors at all.

Cause of Color Blindness

The majority of cases of color blindness are due to genetics – as many as 99 percent of cases. The condition is passed down through the mother’s genetics, and the deficiency is on the X chromosome. Those who are color blind don’t necessarily have a color blind mother.

The genetic deficiency causes changes in one of the three types of cone cells in the eyes, or it can cause one of these cells to be absent. These cells are located in the macula (which is inside the retina), and they are responsible for sensing red, green and blue light. Depending on whether someone has a deficiency or is missing these cells will determine whether they can see any red, green or blue light at all, or they can only see limited amounts of these colors.

There are other causes of color blindness, though they are not as common. Some diseases and poor health conditions can also lead to color blindness. For example, diabetes and multiple sclerosis have both been linked to the development of color blindness.

Poor eye conditions can also lead to color blindness, such as glaucoma, age related macular degeneration and cataracts. Eye injuries can also result in color blindness.

Some people can also experience color blindness as they age or as a result of the side effects of some medications.

Treatment for Color Blindness

Since most cases of color blindness are genetic, the condition does not improve over time. It also means that there is no cure for color blindness. While some study has been done on the possibility of using gene therapy to repair the damaged chromosome, no advances have been made with that treatment. If gene therapy does become a reality, it will be an expensive and extensive treatment.

Correction of color blindness is possible in some cases. Light filtering lenses can be prescribed to help those with color blindness see more of the deficient color. These lenses may not always be able to restore full color vision, but they may be able to make enough of the color visible to distinguish it from other shades.

Color filtering lenses look a bit like 3D glasses. They are glasses with colored lenses inside, such as red, blue or green. Many people find these glasses to look awkward or to clash with their personal style. If that’s the case, contact lenses with color filtering may also be available. The contact lenses work the same way as the glasses, but they fit over the eye instead, creating less of a distraction from your personal aesthetic.

Surgery to create other eye problems that are contributing to color blindness can offer some relief. For example, if a person has a cataract that is causing the color blindness, then surgery to correct the cataract may restore some color vision.

Most often, people who are color blind simply learn how to adapt their habits to accommodate the deficiency. For example, they would look for a light at the top of the traffic signal instead of looking for a red light, or they would recognize the shape of a stop sign instead of the color. Wearing regular glasses that block glare can also help wearers see some colors more clearly, in some cases.

Diagnosing Color Blindness

People who have always been color blind may not understand that there is a problem – after all, the colors have always appeared the same to them, and they don’t know what they can’t see. Over time, they will understand the problem through interactions with others. However, children may not yet be able to recognize the issue, and having their vision tested regularly can help to diagnose problems early. The earlier the problem is discovered, the earlier parents can work with them to manage the condition and reduce its impact on their daily lives.

Tests for color blindness include asking patients to identify a series of colored dots to find patterns, such as a letter or number inside the dots. Another test asks patients to arrange a series of colored chips by their similarity in colors, such as grouping the shades of red or the shades of blue.

Children can begin having eye exams as young as 3 years old.

Color blindness may be incurable, but it does not have to significantly impact your quality of life. You can get treatment through wearing colored lenses or contact lenses, or you can learn how to manage the condition over time. With scientific advances, you may even one day be able to receive a cure.

It is no secret that we require the use of our eyes to do a lot of things in life. It tends to make a person stop and wonder why so many of us take our sight for granted. The steps a person must take to help protect their eyes and keep them healthy are not very difficult and require minimal effort on your part.

1. Get Regular Checkups with your trusted eye care professional.

It is important to maintain regularly scheduled appointments with your eye care professional. These appointments do not take much of your time and are an important part of maintaining healthy eyes. Often at these appointments, your eye doctor will be able to detect any signs of issues before they become a serious problem. Issues with your sight will not necessarily have any symptoms, so regular appointments are important.

2. Be Aware of Your Family’s Medical History

Some eye conditions are surprisingly hereditary, so knowing your family’s history wouldn’t hurt anything. You can find out more about your family’s history by asking immediate relatives about any conditions or procedures they have had in the past. Knowing about this, and telling your eye doctor, may help your doctor to develop a specialized prevention plan to keep your eyes as healthy as possible for many years to come.

3. Wear the Right Prescription for You

It may sound silly, but you should never wear a prescription that was not prescribed for you. If you go to the eye doctor and they prescribe a new prescription for you, you should get new glasses or contacts made up as soon as possible. Lens strength (even if it is minor) can affect how hard your eyes have to work in order to perceive what you are seeing before you. If your eyes are constantly working without any rest you could risk hurting your eyes worse than if you went without them at all.

When it comes to contact lenses, it is important to always follow the instructions that you receive with the lenses. These lenses require special care and, if not cared for properly, they can become contaminated or cause an infection. If they are properly cared for, contact lenses can be just as viable and safe a solution as glasses.

4. Follow the Advice of Your Eye Care Professional

Eye care is really a finicky thing. You may not feel any symptoms of any issues when your eye care professional advises you to use drops or some other sort of treatment. It may seem silly to you as you are not feeling any symptoms that anything is wrong, but you do not want to aggravate any conditions by ignoring something your eye doctor told you to do. Ignoring the advice of your doctor would truly make the situation worse for you later on. Isn’t it better to be on the safe side when you’re playing with your vision?

5. Always Use Appropriate Eye Protective Gear When Necessary

Eye protection is truly a requirement when it comes to protecting your eyes. Always use the appropriate protective gear when you are doing any activities that may require them. Too many people go into the hospital each year due to eye-related injuries that could have been easily avoided if people used the proper protective gear. The gear was made for a reason. It may not be the most fashion forward statement, but at least you will have both of your eyes for future use any time you want.

6. Wear Sunglasses on Sunny Days

Ever wake up and look outside to find yourself squinting like a vampire in the vast light of the sun? This intense light is actually damaging to your eyes regardless if you are able to feel it or not. It is important to wear sunglasses on bright days to protect your eyes. Most people do not realize how sensitive our eyes really are to the sun. Over time, the sun is the leading source of many issues. As always, make sure you purchase high quality sunglasses with high UVA and UVB protection as cheap ones that do not offer the extra protection you need.

7. Listen to What Your Body Is Telling You

Let’s face it, we live in a technology-driven society where computers, laptops, and cellular devices are a dime a dozen. These days, just about everyone is using one of the season’s hottest gadgets as part of their daily routine. Looking at these screen types for extended periods of time may lead to eye fatigue. Those of us that make a living on our computers have an issue here as the computer screen is not something we are a stranger to. The key is to give your eyes a break from these intriguing screens for at least twenty seconds every twenty minutes. That really isn’t that hard to squeeze into a regular daily routine and your eyes will thank you later for it.

9. Eat a Healthy Diet

Believe it or not, eating a healthy diet will also help keep your eyes healthy. When you give your body the proper nutrients it needs to function properly you help it to remain healthy and functioning for many years to come. Not only will a healthy diet help to maintain healthy eyes, but it will also help to maintain a healthy physique as well. Remember, a healthy diet may also include proper vitamins and supplements for those who require them.

10. Do Some Simple Eye Exercises throughout the Day

There are some simple exercises each person can do in a few minutes of their time to keep their eyes healthy. Exercising the body is an important part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle and exercising your eyes is no exception. You can begin by moving your eyes around in a full circle going in a clockwise direction. Once you have made a complete rotation you can move your eyes from left to right and from top to bottom. If you repeat this three times you can help relax your eyes for a while. It takes a few minutes and allows you to continue doing whatever you were doing without much interruption.

Leading A Healthier Visual Life

By following these ten easy-to-use steps you can relax your eyes from time to time and maintain healthy eyes for many years to come. You only get one pair of eyes in your life; there is no room for risks and chances when it comes to your health. Always seek the care of an eye care professional if you notice any sudden changes in your vision or prescription. Even if the issue is minor it is better to deal with it before it becomes a larger issue.

The corner is the clear center of the eye that allows images in. A corneal ulcer is an infected cornea, that, left untreated, can lead to blindness. It’s an open sore on the eye that can be extremely painful, yet it’s treatable when found early on.

Common causes of a corneal ulcer include:

• Vitamin A deficiency
• Improper content lens usage
• Chemical injury
• Dry eye
• Herpes virus (similar to strain found in a cold sore)
• Tiny tears in the cornea

As a result of these problems, a corneal ulcer can present pain, tears, squinting, pus, blurred vision, swelling, and vision loss. It can also be recurring, so it’s important to resolve the underlying issues.

The main thing to gain control over in preventing corneal ulcers is the proper use and storage of contact lenses. Proper hygiene is vital to preventing and healing eye sores. Pay special attention to the doctor’s recommendations and product labels. Don’t wear contact lenses to bed or for a period longer than the recommendation.

Once the corneal ulcer is present, review treatment options to see what works best. The following treatment methods can be helpful:

• Topical ointment
• Over-the-counter medicine to control the pain
• Medicated eye drops
• Cool compresses
• Nutritious diet
• Vitamin A and C

In most cases the corneal ulcer can last for several weeks. In some extreme cases, hospitalization may be necessary for corneal transplant surgery. Don’t hesitant to seek medical attention if symptoms are severe.