Prevalence of Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) Among University Students in Bangladesh and Its Impact on Learning and...

Color vision deficiency (CVD) is a common inherited visual disorder that can interfere with academic tasks and daily activities that rely on accurate color discrimination. Despite its potential educational and occupational implications, data on CVD prevalence and functional impact among university students in Bangladesh remain limited.

This study was aimed at determining the prevalence of CVD among university students in Dhaka, Bangladesh, and describing patterns of learning-related and daily-life difficulties among affected students.

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 1207 students from two universities in Dhaka. Color vision was assessed using the Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates under standardized lighting conditions to identify red-green CVD. Students diagnosed with CVD completed a structured questionnaire evaluating difficulties in academic tasks, digital media use, and daily activities. Descriptive statistics were used to estimate prevalence, while factor analysis was applied to examine patterns of difficulties associated with impaired color perception.

Overall, 33 students (2.7%) were identified with CVD. All affected participants were male, corresponding to a prevalence of 3.4% among male students, while no cases were observed among females. Students with CVD reported notable difficulties in educational activities involving color-coded learning materials, multimedia content, and object recognition in daily life. These findings highlight reported patterns of challenges in both learning-related and practical tasks.

CVD affects a notable proportion of male university students in Bangladesh and is associated with meaningful academic and daily-life challenges. Early screening and increased awareness may help reduce these difficulties and support informed academic and career-related decision-making.