How Do Our Eyes Perceive Color?

As the optometrist at Tropicana/215 Fwy, not a day goes by that I don’t marvel at the gift of sight! The world is so filled with light and color that the ability of our eyes to experience the many hues is a never-ending source of wonder and pleasure.

If you have ever wondered about just how our eyes perceive the vast array of colors, and why some of us see the same colors so differently, I’d like to offer a few answers.

Our eyes contain cells called photoreceptors, located in the retina. There are two main types of photoreceptors, rods responsible for low-light vision, and cones responsible for color vision.

Cones are divided into three types, each sensitive to a different wavelength of light: red, green and blue. These three colors combine to produce the spectrum of colors we perceive. The cones react to light hitting the retina by sending signals to our brain, which interprets them as different colors.

Color blindness is caused by a lack or absence of one or more types of cones. Red-green color blindness is the most common type, affecting primarily males. Blue-yellow color blindness is less common and can affect both males and females. Monochromatism is a rare condition which causes complete color blindness. 

Even among those with normal color vision, there can be differences in how they perceive colors, because of variations in the sensitivity of the cones and the way their brains process information.

As people get older, their eyes may become less sensitive to some colors, especially blue and violet. Different types of lighting also can have an effect on how we perceive colors. Fluorescent lights, for instance, may appear slightly green, while incandescent lights may appear warmer.

At our optometrist’s office Tropicana/215 Fwy, we’re experts on all matters related to protecting our patient’s precious gift of sight. Please come in for a comprehensive examination to ensure you’re experiencing every color vividly and comfortably!