Understanding the World Through Color Blind Eyes
Often misunderstood, color blindness is not a "black and white world". Let's dissect basic science, circulating myths, to government policy polemics that often thwart the careers of people with color blindness.
1. What is Color Blindness? (Science & Facts)
Color Vision Deficiency is a condition where the eyes experience a decrease in the ability to distinguish certain colors. This happens due to an abnormality in the cone cells in the retina.
- Normal Eye (Trichromacy): Has 3 types of cone cells (Red, Green, Blue) that work perfectly.
- Color Blind (Anomalous Trichromacy): One cone cell is weak. Most common is weakness in Red-Green sensors.
2. Types of Color Blindness
Not all color blindness is the same. There are several main types:
- Protanopia (Red-Blind): Difficulty seeing red light. Red looks dark or brownish.
- Deuteranopia (Green-Blind): Most common type. Difficulty distinguishing green and red.
- Tritanopia (Blue-Blind): Very rare. Difficulty distinguishing blue and yellow.
3. Affirmative Action Polemic: CPNS & LPDP Scholarships
This is the hottest issue. Many young Indonesian talents fail to achieve their dreams just because they fail the Ishihara test. The big question is: "Can I apply through the Disability/Affirmative Action Path if I am color blind?"
Why is that? People with color blindness are often in a "Squeezed Position":
- In the General Path, rejected because the health requirement is "Must be Free from Color Blindness".
- In the Disability Path, rejected because they are considered "Physically Complete" and able to be independent without assistive devices.
Joint Advocacy Steps
Do you feel treated unfairly because of your eye condition? Or does your company want to be more inclusive?
We are here to provide practical education and solutions:
- Accessibility Consulting: Design color-blind friendly work systems.
- Inclusion Training: Build HRD team awareness.