Color Me Blind

By: Ma. Phoebe T. Subo, 3-Neon

After making approximately 1.4 billion crayons, Emerson Moser, Crayolas senior crayon maker, admitted that he is, indeed, colorblind. Mosers colorblindness was not known by his co-workers during his 37-year service - not until he announced it shortly after his retirement. This makes him one of the few 8% males who are afflicted with this condition. Colorblindness, or color vision deficiency, can be a genetic disorder. It is a mild disability that can be inherited from mutated X chromosomes. The reason why males are at a higher risk of acquiring this medical condition is due to the fact that they only have one X chromosome. When a man has one mutated X chromosome, he doesnt have a second X chromosome to override the first. On the other hand, when a woman inherits an X chromosome that has the mutation, she becomes a carrier of colorblindness. However, because she still has one normal X chromosome, she does not display her other chromosomes mutation. Although colorblind people have difficulty differentiating between two colors, for example, red and green, they can have an advantage over people with normal color vision. They have a better ability at penetrating certain color camouflages. According to researchers, this might be a plausible explanation behind the high frequency of congenital red-green colorblindness. Technically, however, all people have been colorblind. This is because our eye cones do not start working until we are four months old. Emerson Moser is not the only famous person who has this disability. Paul Newman, Mr. Rogers, Vincent van Gogh, Monet, and Meryon have been colorblind, too! Once again, the line If theres a will, theres a way is proven true. Nothing can stop us from achieving our hearts desire.