Prevalence of Color Blindness in Undergraduates of Kathmandu University

Color blindness is X-linked recessive inherited disorder that occurs mostly in males and is transmitted through females. Many people with color blindness may remain undetected. Thus the present study aims to evaluate the incidence of color blindness among undergraduates of Kathmandu University.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 825 undergraduates, aged 17-25 years, from June to August 2018, in Kathmandu University, Kavre, Nepal. The Ishihara plates were used to evaluate the color vision of students under natural day light condition.

Study revealed that 24 (2.9%) undergraduates were color blind which include 24 male (5%) and no female. Among the color blind, five (20.3%), three (12.5%), two (8.33%) and 14 (58.33%) males were the victims of deuteranomaly, deuteranopia, protanomalia and total color blindness respectively. Color blindness is prevalent among the Brahmin 10 (3.9%), followed by Chettri 10 (2.72%) and Newar 4 (2.24%).

Prevalence of color blindness is found to be higher in males than females. Total color blindness is the most prevalent in our study. Screening enables the students to become aware of limitations and devise ways of overcoming them.