Introduction
Tritanopia is a type of color vision deficiency that affects the ability of an individual to distinguish blue and yellow colors. The rare condition is inherited genetically that affects about one in 10,000 people. The condition is caused due to gene mutations that code for the blue-sensitive cone cells present in the retina of the eye. The blue-sensitive cone cells are helpful in detecting short-wavelength light which is essential for perceiving yellow and blue colors. individuals with a condition have a reduced sensitivity to blue light. The individual is unable to distinguish different colors such as purple from red, blue from green, and yellow from pink. Especially in low light conditions, it may cause problems in daily life because of the challenge to distinguish colors. The person with a condition is unable to drive because the traffic lights may be difficult to differentiate. There is no permanent cure for tritanopia and certain glasses are designed that help the person deal with the condition. The article discusses tritanopia, its causes, risk factors, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
What Is Tritanopia?
Tritanopia is a genetic disorder in which the person is unable to distinguish between different colors. About one to 15,000 newborns are born with the condition. People with the condition have normal green and red vision but impaired yellow and blue vision. The people with the condition do not have any other vision problems.
What Are the Causes of Tritanopia?
Tritanopia is a genetic disorder that can be inherited from one parent. The condition is caused due to the mutation in the genes in the blue cone cells. These genes produce photopigments in the blue cone cells present in the retina of the eye. The genes that are associated with color vision are located on the X chromosome. As a result, the condition is more common in males than females because females have two X chromosomes and males have only one X chromosome.
The condition can be acquired later in life due to certain medical conditions or exposure to certain toxins or drugs. Acquired tritanopia is a rare condition. If the underlying cause is removed with the treatment, the condition is reversible. Color deficiency can be caused by other different factors such as eye disease, aging, and certain medications. In this condition, there is no complete absence of color perception but there is difficulty in distinguishing between different colors.
What Are the Risk Factors of Tritanopia?
Tritanopia is a genetic condition. Not all individuals with the risk factors may develop the condition. The risk factors of tritanopia are as follows:
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Family History: The main risk factor is having a family history of the condition. If one or both parents have the gene of tritanopia, their children may inherit the condition.
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Medical Conditions: Certain medical conditions such as macular degeneration (an eye disease in which the macula is damaged leading to vision loss) and diabetic retinopathy (an eye condition in which people who have diabetes can lead to vision loss and blindness) can affect the functioning of the cone cells and retina that are responsible for color vision.
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Exposure to Toxins: Exposure to certain toxins, chemicals, radiation, and medication can increase the risk of developing color blindness.
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Gender: Males are more affected than females with the condition due to the genetic inheritance pattern.
What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Tritanopia?
The main symptom of the condition is difficulty in distinguishing between different colors that are between blue and green hues. The person is not able to distinguish between colors that contain blue, or green and blue. People with tritanopia may not be able to distinguish between pastel colors. Other symptoms of tritanopia are as follows:
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Seeing blue as yellow or green.
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Difficulty in distinguishing between dark blue and white, or light blue and white.
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A person is unable to drive because of difficulty in distinguishing traffic lights and color-coded maps.
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Difficulty in distinguishing between red and green color.
How Can Tritanopia Be Diagnosed?
Tritanopia can be diagnosed by a comprehensive eye examination and several diagnostic tests. Various diagnostic tests are as follows:
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Color Vision Test: The doctor may ask the patient to identify different shapes and numbers that are embedded in different colors of a dot pattern. People with a color vision deficiency may have difficulty recognizing numbers or shapes. The test is known as the Ishihara test.
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Anomaloscope Test: The test is used to distinguish various color vision deficiencies. The doctor may show two fields of light. One is a mixture of red and green light and the other is pure yellow light. The patient is asked to adjust the brightness of the red-green light so that it matches the brightness of the yellow light. People with the condition may face difficulty in making a precise match.
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Hue Test: A doctor may show a different series of colored plates. The patient is asked to identify the shape and pattern by matching a plate. People with a condition may make errors in making a match.
How Can Tritanopia Be Treated?
There is no permanent cure for tritanopia. The different tools and strategies can help people to manage the condition. The condition can be treated with glasses and contact lenses. The helpful tool is the specialized mobile apps and software that can adjust the color on the mobile device and computer screens that make people more distinguishable between colors. People should be aware of the condition and aware of others such as employers and coworkers. For example, people may not be able to work in certain professions which require color identification such as graphic designing.
Conclusion
Tritanopia is a type of color deficiency that affects a person's ability to distinguish colors. The condition is mainly caused by genetic mutations and can be acquired. The gene mutations affect the color-sensitive cells in the retina. There is no cure for tritanopia, but some tools and strategies can help people to deal with the condition. People should be aware of the condition and inform others so as to make appropriate accommodations.
