Recent data indicates that approximately 4.8 per cent of the male population in Malaysia is affected by congenital colour blindness, a figure that aligns closely with global health trends. According to Associate Professor Dr Rokiah Omar, a senior lecturer in Optometry and Visual Science at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), the high prevalence among men is due to the defective gene being located on the X chromosome. Since men possess only one X chromosome, any defect in this specific gene is immediately expressed physiologically, whereas women require defects on both X chromosomes to manifest the condition.
Dr Rokiah explained that colour blindness is predominantly a hereditary trait passed down through families. If a mother is a carrier of the defective gene, there is a 50 per cent probability that her sons will be colour blind and a 50 per cent chance that her daughters will become carriers themselves. Many individuals in Malaysia remain unaware of their condition until they reach adulthood, often discovering their visual deficiency only during mandatory medical examinations for driving licences or specific job applications.
While not life-threatening, colour blindness can significantly impact daily safety and long-term career prospects. Dr Rokiah noted that affected individuals face challenges in basic tasks such as identifying traffic light signals, judging the ripeness of food, or interpreting colour-coded indicators on household appliances. Furthermore, the condition restricts entry into professional fields that require precise colour perception, such as aviation, electrical engineering, and certain security roles, effectively narrowing the scope of vocational development for many talented individuals.
The Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector is particularly sensitive to these visual requirements. Students pursuing courses in electronics or electrical work must be able to accurately distinguish wire colours to prevent hazardous incidents, including short circuits or potential explosions. Consequently, many students with a natural aptitude for technical work are forced to pivot to other fields. Dr Rokiah also warned that acquired colour blindness can occur later in life due to chronic conditions like uncontrolled diabetes, glaucoma, cataracts, or the side effects of certain potent medications that damage retinal blood vessels.
Public awareness regarding early screening remains insufficient, prompting experts to recommend that schools implement vision testing at the pre-school or primary level. Helmy Ali, a 28-year-old teacher from Sarawak who inherited the condition, shared his personal struggles, recalling how he was once reprimanded by an art teacher for using the “wrong” colours before his diagnosis. Helmy noted that he now relies on family members to help with daily tasks like shopping for clothes to avoid colour mismatches and uses the positioning of traffic lights to navigate safely while driving. He expressed gratitude for the increasing number of countdown timers on Sarawak’s traffic lights, which provide essential secondary cues for drivers with colour vision deficiencies.
