Colour blindness does not hinder children’s learning, say doctors

Inherited colour vision deficiency (CVD), commonly called colour blindness, does not affect a child's ability to learn, according to ophthalmologists. Dr Susheela B Nair of KIMSHEALTH, Thiruvananthapuram, said that unlike refractive errors, colour vision defects do not reduce visual acuity for distant or near vision. The condition is incurable and passed down from parents due to defects in the retina's cone cells, which process red, green, and blue light.

Globally, inherited CVD affects 1 in 12 men (8%) and 1 in 200 women (0.5%), as it is an X-linked recessive trait. Dr Sneha Giridhar noted that most children are unaware of the condition, leading to delayed diagnosis. No established medical treatment exists, but special glasses like EnChroma use notch filters to enhance colour contrast. Smartphone apps that speak colours aloud and organising clothes logically are common workarounds.

Dr Susheela advised that family and friends play a key role in guiding children with the defect towards suitable professions. She cited the example of Rohit, a patient who became an IT professional after being counselled about his career options.