Sources (MLA Format)

"What Is Genetic Counseling?" Genetichealth.com. Web. 11 Mar. 2011. <http://www.genetichealth.com/resources_what_is_genetic_counseling.shtml>.

"Color Blindness- Topic Overview." Webmd.com. Web. 11 Mar. 2011. <http://www.webmd.com/eye-health/tc/color-blindness-topic-overview>.

"Color Blindness." Eyecaresource.com. Web. 11 Mar. 2011. <http://www.eyecaresource.com/conditions/color-blindness/.>.

"Colour Vision Deficiency (Colour Blindness)." Medic8.com. Web. 12 Mar. 2011. <http://www.medic8.com/genetics/colour-vision-deficiency.htm.>.

"Causes of Color Blindness." Health.nytimes.com. Web. 12 Mar. 2011. <http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/color-blindness/overview.html.>.

"Effects of Color Blindness." Colblindor.com. Web. 12 Mar. 2011. <. http://www.colblindor.com/color-blindness-most-frequently-asked-questions/#cure.>.

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How possible is it that a cure will be found?

You can not 100% cure color blindness because its inherited, but there are ways to enhance vision and help the issue of color blindness. Many scientists are trying to find cures that can totally eliminate color blindness.

What are some organizations that can help a family cope with a child's disorder?

CIGNA:  http://www.cigna.com/customer_care/

World Vision:  http://www.worldvision.org/content.nsf/pages/search-for-a-child?open&campaign=11935141&cmp=KNC-11935141&ttcode=helpchild

FRAXA: http://www.fraxa.org/

NSOGC: http://pediatrics.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=pediatrics&cdn=health&tm=754&gps=127_553_1436_703&f=10&tt=12&bt=0&bts=0&zu=http%3A//www.nsgc.org/

What limitations does the person have?

Many people think that the biggest problem that color blind people have is reading traffic lights. Most color blind people memorize where the red, green, and yellow lights are, even though it is still a challenge. Another limitation is cooking. They can cook, but they may not be able to tell whether a certain food is finished cooking, because they can’t see the color. They are limited in the way they see colorful things like fruits and flowers, and they can’t tell whether a fruit or vegetable is ripe enough when they to buy them. It is also limited for them to drive if their color blindness is bad, they have trouble reading colorful maps and graphics.

What is everyday life like? What is the quality of Life?

Everyday life for people that are colorblind is pretty much like a normal life, but they are limited in the way they see color. Things that involve telling the difference between colors, they can t do. They can do everything that a normal person could do, just without all the color. The quality of their life is good, even though many who have color blindness wish they could see all the colors like everyone else.

How can the disease be treated?

Color Blindness that is inherited can not be treated. If the Patient has some other form of Color Blindness not inherited, there are a few treatments. For example: surgery or tinted contacts or glasses.

What is the life expectancy of someone with the disease?

Color Blindness is not considered life threatening. The life expectancy is the same as any other human. It just effects the vision of the person.

What are some physical symptoms of the disease?

Some symptoms consist of: seeing colors differently then they look, getting colors confused with one another, seeing only black, white or gray, blurry or bad vision and side to side eye movement.

How is the disease diagnosed?

Color Blindness is diagnosed by a specific type of test. The Doctor will perform a test using dots, which represent numbers and letters, to test what colors are difficult for you to see. Color Blindness is mainly cause by problems with the Pigments in the Cones. If a Patient has just 1 pigment missing they have Red & Green Color blindness. Red and Green Color blindness is most popular, its when Red and Green look the same. If No pigments are present you have a severe Color Blindness disorder, and you can’t see color at all.  

What are the chances of a person with the disease passing the disease to their offspring?

Women have 2 X’s so it’s less likely for them to get the genetic disorder, but they can be carriers if one of their X is affected.  Males only have one X and they have a Y. If one of their Y’s is affected more than likely they have the disorder, if both their X and Y is affected they 100% have the Color Blindness.
For example, if a women with XX’ marries a guy with X’Y their child ,if a girl , would have 0% chance of having Color Blindness , but would be a carrier.  If they had a boy he would have a 25% chance of having the disorder, because his genotype would be X’Y , and  his X chromosome is affected he had the disease.

How Prevalent is the disease in the population?

Color Blindness affects males more than females. 8% of males are affected and 0.5% of females have it. Color Blindness affects 1 out of every 10 men. 95% of the people diagnosed with Color Blindness cant tell the difference between the two colors, red and green.

What are the possible genotypes of the Parents?

A Possible Genotype for the Mother would have to be: X’X. Genotypes for the Father would be either: XY’ OR X’Y’.

How does a person inherit this genetic disorder? Is it dominant or recessive? Is it genetic or chromosomal?

Color Blindness is a group of conditions that affect the perception of color. Color Blindness is a Genetic disorder. It is inherited in a X-linked recessive pattern. Colorblindness occurs when there are mutations in the: CNGA3, GNATZ, OPN1LW, OPN1MW and OPN1SW genes.

What is a genetic counselor?

A Genetic Counselor is a health professional that specializes with Patients at risk or that has genetic disorders. In order to become a Genetic Counselor you must have two things, education and skills. You must at least have a Masters Degree and have the skills to empathize, listen, and talk and to become attentive to important details. You must also have completed biology, chemistry, algebra, geometry, calculus, English, a foreign language, and sociology in high school.