COLOR BLINDNESS
Color blindness is when you don’t see colors in the traditional way because some cones (nerve cells) in your eyes are missing or don’t work correctly. You may have trouble seeing the difference between certain colors or shades, or perceiving the brightness of colors. Color blindness is usually inherited through a genetic mutation.
SYMPTOMS
People affected by color blindness may not be able to distinguish:
- Different shades of red and green
- Different shades of blue and yellow
- Any colors
The most common color deficiency is an inability to see some shades of red and green. Often, a person who is red-green or blue-yellow deficient isn’t completely insensitive to both colors. Defects can be mild, moderate or severe.
Causes of acquired color blindness
Acquired color blindness, which usually develops as blue-yellow color deficiency, has many possible causes. These include:
- Exposure to chemicals that harm your nervous system, such as organic solvents, solvent mixtures and heavy metals.
- Long-term exposure to welding lights.
- Medications, including hydroxychloroquine (to treat rheumatoid arthritis).
- Eye conditions, including age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma and cataracts.
- Medical conditions that affect your brain or nervous system, including diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Acquired color blindness is less common than inherited forms.
DIAGNOSIS OF COLOR BLINDNESS
- History taking
- Vision test
- Examination of retinal changes
- Ishihara color vision test
COLOR BLINDNESS AND AYURVEDA
- As per Ayurveda, color blindness is included under ‘drishti netra roga’.
NIDANA- AYURVEDIC CAUSES OF COLOR BLINDNESS
- Excess vitiation of doshas in eyes
- Janmakrita – genetic causes
PURVAROOPAM- AYURVEDIC PREMONITORY SYMPTOMS OF COLOR BLINDNESS
- Nashta varna darsana – color discrimination is impossible
SAMPRAPTI – AYURVEDIC PATHOGENESIS OF COLOR BLINDNESS
The defect in the drishti mandala in the eyes along with dosha vitiation leads to symptoms of color blindness.
LAKSHANA – AYURVEDIC SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF COLOR BLINDNESS
- Nashta varna darsana – reduced ability to distinguish between certain colors
CHIKITSA- AYURVEDIC TREATMENT FOR COLOR BLINDNESS
Ayurvedic local treatment for color blindness
- Netra tarpana – with triphala ghita
AYURVEDIC SAMANA TREATMENT FOR COLOR BLINDNESS
- Internal administration of triphala churna along with honey
- Triphaladi Ghana vati
- Saptamrita loha
AYURVEDIC SODHANA TREATMENT FOR COLOR BLINDNESS
- Nasya – nasal medications