By Carrie Perles Updated Aug 30, 2022
Color blindness disproportionately affects males. In a cohort of twelve men, the odds are that at least one will exhibit some form of color vision deficiency. The condition arises when cone cells in the retina fail to function properly, making it difficult to differentiate hues such as red from green or rendering colors as gray. This project provides a hands‑on approach to determine whether color blindness is inherited.
Choose a reputable online color‑blindness test (e.g., Ishihara, Farnsworth–Munsell, or the Color Blindness Test from the American Academy of Ophthalmology). Refer to the Resources section for recommended options.
Print the selected test using a high‑quality color printer. Ensure that the printed version closely matches the online layout to maintain test integrity.
Administer the test to at least 50 participants. Record each subject’s outcome, noting whether they are color‑blind according to the test criteria.
Encourage participants to have two blood relatives—ideally parents or siblings—take the same test. Ask them to write down their results and submit them to you. While direct administration by the researcher would strengthen the study, this approach is often more feasible.
Calculate the proportion of color‑blind participants who have at least one color‑blind relative. Divide the number of such participants by the total number of color‑blind participants to obtain a percentage.
Compute the percentage of non‑color‑blind participants who report a color‑blind relative. Divide the number of these participants by the total number of non‑color‑blind participants.
Compare the two percentages. A higher proportion among color‑blind participants suggests a genetic component.
Obtain teacher permission to test their students, ensuring complete data collection. If a color printer isn’t available, administer the test online, but participants will need Internet access at home to involve their relatives.
