Childrens Optometrist Perth

Part of children’s vision is the ability to see colours, which should be assessed to check for colour vision deficiencies:

• Partial Colour vision deficiency: Due to anomalous trichromacy, cone sensitivity is limited despite all cones being present therefore causing confusion because the colours are less intense. An example is red-green deficiency, where the child cannot distinguish green or red. Partial colour deficiency can vary in severity – this needs to be assessed by a full colour vision assessment (this is not just a singular screening test).
• Total Colour vision deficiency: Known as achromatopsia or achromasy, this hereditary colour vision deficiency causes the child to see grey scales only, a complete absence of colours.

The eye’s retina has two sensory cells called rods (to see the difference between bright and dark) and cones (for colour vision). There are three cones in a normal retina:

• L or long wavelengths (red)
• S or short wavelengths (blue)
• M or medium wavelengths (green)

The wavelengths pertain to the light wavelengths that enter the eye so that the brain can recognise the colour pigments. If one cone does not work as well, your child perceives colour differently or improperly. That’s when colour vision deficiency occurs. Cones only work when it’s bright, which is why rods are present to help with the bright-dark contrasts.

Colour vision deficiencies are typically congenital, meaning they are acquired since birth. However, some colour vision problems can also be due to ageing, such as macular degeneration or caused by certain eye diseases, such as those affecting the optic nerves.

There is no known treatment for colour vision deficiency at this time. To learn if your child has some form of colour vision deficiency, you can encourage him/her to take a colour vision test. It consists of colour charts that have numbers along with coloured dots.

While these tests are available online, we recommend that you visit our optometrists at E Eye Place. We have more thorough assessments to determine your child’s vision problem and colour vision deficiency. Book an appointment today.