Ep 124 The full spectrum of color vision deficiency
Sep 5, 2023
auto_awesome
Delving into the world of color vision deficiency, this podcast explores the origins of color vision, its non-universal nature, and its impact on industry. It discusses various types of color vision deficiencies and their genetic basis, the history of color vision deficiency, and advancements in understanding and accommodating individuals with color vision deficiency. The podcast also touches on the role of color vision in animals and the possibility of treating color vision deficiency with gene therapy.
01:31:49
AI Summary
AI Chapters
Episode notes
auto_awesome
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
Color vision deficiency can be classified into different types, including anomalous trichromacy, dichromacy, and monochromacy.
John Dalton's scientific description of color vision deficiency in the late 18th century paved the way for further understanding of the condition.
Color vision deficiency has practical implications in transportation and safety, leading to the need for alternative signaling methods.
Deep dives
Different Types of Color Vision Deficiency
Color vision deficiency can be classified into different types, including anomalous trichromacy, dichromacy, and monochromacy. Anomalous trichromacy refers to a shift in the sensitivity of one or more cones, resulting in difficulties distinguishing between specific colors. Dichromacy involves the loss of function of one type of cone, leading to the inability to perceive certain colors. Monochromacy is the most severe form, characterized by the complete absence of color discrimination. These color vision deficiencies can be hereditary and are caused by mutations in genes related to cone cells and opsins.
John Dalton's Discovery
John Dalton, a scientist in the late 18th century, was the first to scientifically describe color vision deficiency, also known as Daltonism. He noticed that his perception of color differed from others and published his findings in 1794. Dalton hypothesized that his and his brother's color vision deficiency was caused by tinted vitreous humor in their eyes, a hypothesis that was later disproven. His observations and subsequent research paved the way for further understanding of color vision deficiency.
Practical Implications of Color Vision Deficiency
Color vision deficiency has practical implications, especially in transportation and safety. In the late 19th century, as industrial and transportation sectors grew, signaling systems relied heavily on color coding. Color vision deficiency made it difficult for individuals to accurately interpret these signals, leading to the need for alternative signaling methods that could be distinguished by everyone, including those with color vision deficiency.
Genetics Play a Role in Color Vision Deficiency
Color vision deficiency is a genetic condition that affects about 8% of males and 0.5% of females. The most common form is red-green color vision deficiency, which can be caused by different types of mutations in the genes responsible for color perception.
The Evolution and Purpose of Color Vision
Color vision has evolved multiple times independently in different animal species, including humans. It serves various purposes, such as detecting ripe fruits, evaluating mate quality, distinguishing predators, and providing constancy in vision. The evolution of color vision in primates, including humans, has been shaped by factors like foraging, social dynamics, and predator detection. However, the exact evolutionary drivers and mechanisms behind color vision are still a topic of ongoing research.
There’s no denying that human imagination is a powerful thing. It has led us to create incredible works of art, literature that transports its readers to other realms, technology that revolutionizes the way we communicate and travel, music and film that makes us laugh, cry, and hit repeat. But our imagination often falls short when trying to conceive of the world from another person’s perspective, especially when it comes to senses. In this episode, we delve into one of the most prominent examples of this: color vision and color vision deficiencies. First, we take you through how color vision works and just how non-universal this experience is. We then explore the origins of color vision and what evolutionary significance it may have held before getting into the discovery of color vision deficiency and its impact on industry. We close out this colorful episode by chatting about some of the latest developments and products geared towards those with color vision deficiency.