How common is color blindness?

How common is color blindness?

Color blindness is uncommon, but it does run in families. This means that if other members of your family have experienced color blindness, you’re more likely to have it too. Color blindness can happen in both men and women, but it’s much more commonly seen in men. This is because color blindness is passed down through your genetic code.

Sometimes, color blindness can also show up later in life. In some cases, it may have been present at birth but not noticed until later. In other cases, injuries or diseases of the eye can cause malfunctions in the parts of the visual system that allow color vision, including not just the photoreceptors but also the nerves and some retinal layers.