Re: OT: Colour-Blindness ( Was: Re: OT-ish:Conlang Census)

Mark J. Reed scripsit:
> On Tue, Jan 20, 2004 at 10:30:16AM -0500, Etak wrote:
> >    Well actually I have an eye condition known as
> > achromatopsia.
>
> . . . which John just described.  Okay, I was completely wrong,
> so I'll shut up now. :)
A few interesting tidbits:

Achromatopsia is not sex-linked, and occurs in the general population
at about 1 in 33,000 to 1 in 100,000.

The Pingelapese went through a population bottleneck in 1700, when
a typhoon reduced the population to 20 people including the chief --
who was a carrier for achromatopsia.

Knut Nordby is a Norwegian color-vision researcher who is an achromat.

Unrelated to congenital achromatopsia is cerebral achromatopsia, which is
acquired as a result of brain damage.  Cerebral achromats see the world
in gray, as normals do in low light conditions; congenital achromats
don't have a referent for "gray" any more than for other colors.

A significant problem for achromats is poor visual acuity and high
sensitivity to light.  (This is also a problem for people with other
kinds of vision problems, but not to such a great degree:  I myself am
mildly sensitive to strong light -- full sunlight is difficult for me,
though ordinary room lighting is not.)

The Achromatopsia Network at http://www.achromat.org provides information
for, by, and about achromats and achromatopsia.

--
Not to perambulate                 John Cowan <jcowan@...>
    the corridors                  http://www.reutershealth.com
during the hours of repose         http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
    in the boots of ascension.       --Sign in Austrian ski-resort hotel

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