People with normal vision are able to see 7 different hues under normal lighting conditions. But if you are color-blind, you may not be able to see or distinguish colors the same way as others.
In this Chart, we learn how people with different types of color blindness see color. For easy comparison, we use a standard color wheel as a reference point for normal vision. By using this chart, you learn to create more accessible designs for all types of audiences, ensuring that your color choices are meaningful and inclusive.
Now, let’s delve into our Chart in more detail:
What is Color Blindness?
Color blindness or color vision deficiency (CVD) is the loss of ability to see color or differences in color.
To understand this, you need to know the physiology of how humans process images. It all starts with nerve cells in your eyes called cones. There are three different types of cones: red,blue and yellow-processing cones. Once light enters your eye, these cones send nerve signals to your brain, allowing you to identify and distinguish colors.
CVD may be caused by a host of factors, such as genetics, diseases, and the use of certain medicines. To learn more about the medical basis of color-blindness, read more here.
In our Chart, we start with a standard color wheel and move through the variations for each type of color blindness in order to show the impact these conditions have on a person’s vision.
The Trichromatic Lens
Normal color vision is based on three types of cones in our retina that are sensitive to short, middle, and long wavelengths.
Remember, human eyes only perceive three colors of light: red, blue, and green. The wavelengths of these colors are combined to create every color on the visible light spectrum.
The trichromatic lens is shown in the first wheel in our Chart, serving as a reference point for what normal vision entails.
Deuteranopia
Illustrated in our second color wheel, deuteranopia is a type of color blindness where you are not able to see green. It results from a lack of the middle-wavelength cones or green-processing cones.
As you can see, people with deuteranopia see green colors as redder, mostly seeing the world in blues and golds. They might confuse some shades of red with some shades of green or yellows with bright shades of green.
Protanopia
People with protanopia are unable to see red light as they lack long-wavelength cones or red-processing cones.
This condition makes it difficult to distinguish red from green, instead you see the color spectrum in tones of yellow and blue (as shown in our Chart).
Tritanopia
Tritanopia is another type of color blindness characterized by an inability to see blue light, and caused by a lack of short-wavelength cones in the retina.
If you are suffering from tritanopia, you may have trouble distinguishing blues from yellows, leading to confusion with colors that contain these hues.
Color Blindness Charts
We use separate Charts to show how each type of color-blindness affects how we perceive color.
Deuteranopia section
In this section, we show a normal color wheel alongside a blue-yellow tinted version to show how greens and reds may blend together.
The Green Weak chart shows colors in a way that emphasizes the muted perception of greens while the Green Blind Chart shows how this condition makes it difficult to distinguish green from similar colors.
Protanopia section
Here, we show a normal color wheel side by side to a blue-yellow tinted version to show the effects on red hues.
The Red Weak Chart shows how reds appear when the perception of red is diminished while the Red Blind Chart: shows how this condition results in blending of reds with browns or other colors.
Tritanopia section
In this part, we place a Normal Color Wheel right next to a wheel with a pinkish and cyan tint to show how tritanopia changes blue-yellow perception.
While a Blue Weak Chart shows how blues appear when it’s perception is weakened, the Blue Blind Chart shows how it is difficult for people with this condition to distinguish blues from similar shades.
Hue Columns
For each type of color-blindness, our Chart also shows a pair of hue columns right next to the color wheel.
This feature allows you to figure out how a color-blind person will see any color on the color spectrum compared to a person with normal vision.
Wrap Up
Did you know color-blindness affects roughly 1 in 12 men (8%) and 1 in 200 women? As designers and artists, it is important to remind ourselves that our work must be accessible to as many viewers as possible.
By visually comparing a standard color wheel with altered versions for each type of color blindness, today you have effectively learnt how different people see different colors.
If you suspect yourself or a loved one might have a type of color blindness, here’s a unique online color blindness test where you can find out 🥇Online Color-Blind Test | Color-Blind Glasses Test.
Don’t forget to pin this article to one of your Pinterest boards for easy future reference!
Our professionally designed Color Wheel Chart of Different Lenses is just a click away, and downloadable in PDF and ADOBE formats.
A blank version of the chart has also been provided to help you refine your own design or artistic skills.
Please note that combinations and schemes shown in these charts may vary significantly based on the medium used (e.g., watercolor, acrylic, digital) and the color model (e.g., CMYK, RGB, HSL).
In addition, display settings (such as night mode and resolution) can also affect color appearance. To avoid errors, always test colors in your specific context for more accurate results.
