Colorblindness occurs when one or more types of cone cells in the retina are either missing or don’t function properly. The most common form is red-green colorblindness, affecting approximately 8% of males and 0.5% of females.
There are several types:
- Deuteranomaly: reduced green sensitivity
- Protanomaly: reduced red sensitivity
- Tritanomaly: reduced blue sensitivity
- Complete color blindness (achromatopsia): seeing only in grayscale
Most cases are genetic, inherited through the X chromosome, which explains why males are more commonly affected. However, colorblindness can also result from eye injuries, certain diseases, or aging.