Colorblindness occurs when one or more types of cone cells in the retina are absent or don’t function properly. The most common forms include:
- Red-green colorblindness (deuteranomaly or protanomaly) – affecting about 8% of males
- Blue-yellow colorblindness (tritanomaly) – much rarer
- Complete colorblindness (achromatopsia) – extremely rare
Colorblindness is typically inherited genetically and is more common in males because the genes for red and green color vision are located on the X chromosome. While there’s no cure, special glasses and digital tools can help affected individuals distinguish colors better in daily life.