Colorblindness is kind of a misleading word. The word blind means to not be able to see so it's easy for people to assume that a person who is colorblind can't see colors at all. This isn't true at all. Colorblindness is the inability to see certain colors when paired with others. Instead of seeing all the separate colors in a painting, a person with colorblindness will see most but not all because some colors will blend to form one. Colorblindness is general found in white males. I could talk about the genetics aspect but that's kind of long. If you want to know ask me. Also colorblind people are missing cones in the back of retina that reflect certain colors. I think that science behind it is really interesting because I am colorblind. A fun fact about colorblindness is that it is almost as common as being left handed.
What does bother me is when I first tell someone I am colorblind, they quickly interrupt and ask me what color this and that is. I usually responded with a smile and give them an answer that is extremely off. Like if you were to point to a white board I would answer with neon orange or similar. That person is then usually unsure if I am serious or joking. I break the tension but saying I'm kidding and tend to just say what color that object is. I also explain briefly what colorblindness really means.
As for my what I'm getting to, is colorblindness considered a disability though? I've always felt like it isn't. It doesn't disable me from being a viable part of society. Share your opinions, if you feel strongly that it is a disability I won't be offended at all.
In the sense that color blindness or a color deficiency limits one's vision, it is technically classified as a mild form of a disability. But I think that is a little too simple. Context seems to be important here (as with most things). I mean, if you want to be a pilot or a florist or if you are trying to survive on your own in the wilderness by living off of plant life, color blindness would be much more of a disability than it is otherwise.
ReplyDeleteHowever, if one considers that color blindness is the result of an interplay between the retina and cones of the eye, which is how we see colors, then we are all a bit color blind. No two people see colors exactly the same way, and the ways that we experience colors, too, changes as the muscles around the eye contract and causes light to be filtered through the eye differently.
here. is a short article that article that you might be interested in.
DeleteVery interesting, I never knew that so many people were colorblind. I wouldn't consider it to be a disability, as it does not cause you to have to do things any different than those who are not colorblind.
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