Biomaterial Database

Aviation-relevent epidemiology of color vision deficiency. 2005

Walter T Delpero, and Hugh O'Neill, and Evanne Casson, and Jeff Hovis

Transport Canada, Ottawa. wdelpero@istar.ca

BACKGROUND The Colour Vision Study Group of Transport Canada undertook a prevalence review to ascertain the degree and type of color vision deficiency (CVD) common in different populations. This was performed as a first step toward establishing whether a bone fide occupational requirement for color vision in aviation can be determined. METHODS Peer-reviewed articles with large populations and appropriate methodology for measuring CVD were assessed. Those pertaining to congenital CVD were cross-sectional prevalence studies with greater than 100 subjects assessed with a combination of pseudoisochromatic plates (PIPs) and Farnsworth D15 and/or an anomaloscope. Of 162 papers reviewed, 36 met these criteria for inclusion in the congenital CVD section. Acquired CVD papers were included based on the quality of color vision tests employed. CONGENITAL CVD: Data on congenital and acquired CVD are presented separately in parts 1 and 2. Part 1 demonstrates that although the prevalence numbers for North American and European populations are consistent with those reported in reference texts, congenital CVD is actually less prevalent in Asian, African, and Native populations. Therefore, the reported overall 8% prevalence of CVD in men applies only to Euro-Caucasians and is significantly lower in other racial groups. Possible evolutionary implications of dichromatism in humans are explored. ACQUIRED CVD: In this section the current understanding of acquired color vision deficiency, with an estimated prevalence ranging from 5 to 15% (51,95), is reviewed. Acquired CVD is frequently associated with significant impairment of visual acuity and/or visual field. However, many ocular diseases and drugs do primarily affect color vision, independent of other visual function, and one must remain vigilant to their presence. CONCLUSIONS Congenital CVD is present in a consequential percentage of men, but considerable variability exists in different populations (2-8%). Acquired CVD may elude detection, but if severe is also associated with loss of visual acuity and/or visual field. Senescence remains the most common and increasingly prevalent cause for acquired CVD.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D003117	Color Vision Defects	Defects of color vision are mainly hereditary traits but can be secondary to acquired or developmental abnormalities in the CONES (RETINA). Severity of hereditary defects of color vision depends on the degree of mutation of the ROD OPSINS genes (on X CHROMOSOME and CHROMOSOME 3) that code the photopigments for red, green and blue.	Achromatopsia,Color Blindness,Monochromatopsia,Color Blindness, Acquired,Color Blindness, Blue,Color Blindness, Green,Color Blindness, Inherited,Color Blindness, Red,Color Blindness, Red-Green,Color Vision Deficiency,Deutan Defect,Protan Defect,Tritan Defect,Achromatopsias,Acquired Color Blindness,Blindness, Color,Blue Color Blindness,Color Blindness, Red Green,Color Vision Defect,Color Vision Deficiencies,Defect, Color Vision,Defect, Deutan,Defects, Color Vision,Deficiencies, Color Vision,Deficiency, Color Vision,Green Color Blindness,Inherited Color Blindness,Red Color Blindness,Red-Green Color Blindness,Vision Defect, Color,Vision Defects, Color,Vision Deficiencies, Color,Vision Deficiency, Color
D003118	Color Perception	Mental processing of chromatic signals (COLOR VISION) from the eye by the VISUAL CORTEX where they are converted into symbolic representations. Color perception involves numerous neurons, and is influenced not only by the distribution of wavelengths from the viewed object, but also by its background color and brightness contrast at its boundary.	Color Perceptions,Perception, Color,Perceptions, Color
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001359	Aviation	Design, development, manufacture, and operation of heavier-than-air AIRCRAFT.	Parachuting,Air Traffic Control,Control, Air Traffic,Traffic Control, Air
D012307	Risk Factors	An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, environmental exposure, inborn or inherited characteristic, which, based on epidemiological evidence, is known to be associated with a health-related condition considered important to prevent.	Health Correlates,Risk Factor Scores,Risk Scores,Social Risk Factors,Population at Risk,Populations at Risk,Correlates, Health,Factor, Risk,Factor, Social Risk,Factors, Social Risk,Risk Factor,Risk Factor Score,Risk Factor, Social,Risk Factors, Social,Risk Score,Score, Risk,Score, Risk Factor,Social Risk Factor
D015995	Prevalence	The total number of cases of a given disease in a specified population at a designated time. It is differentiated from INCIDENCE, which refers to the number of new cases in the population at a given time.	Period Prevalence,Point Prevalence,Period Prevalences,Point Prevalences,Prevalence, Period,Prevalence, Point,Prevalences