Understanding Dichromatism: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment Options

A dichromat is a type of color blindness where a person has difficulty distinguishing between two specific colors, usually blue and green. This is caused by a deficiency in one of the types of cones in the retina that are responsible for detecting those colors.

People with dichromatism may see blue and green as similar shades of gray, or they may be able to distinguish between the colors but have difficulty telling them apart in certain lighting conditions. Dichromats may also have difficulty distinguishing between other colors, such as red and orange, although this is less common.

Dichromatism is a relatively rare condition, affecting only about 2% of the male population and a smaller percentage of females. It is often inherited in an X-linked recessive pattern, meaning that the gene for dichromatism is located on the X chromosome and is more common in males because they have only one X chromosome. Females can be carriers of the condition but are less likely to exhibit symptoms themselves.