18 Color Blindness Statistics

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These color blindness figures cover the measurement periods and populations identified in the available source material. Estimates, surveys and forecasts retain their reported scope.

Key Color Blindness Statistics

The main findings are:

  • The National Eye Institute states that about 1 in 12 men have color vision deficiency (page current at access; last updated 2025-11-05; not specified by NEI).
  • A systematic review estimated congenital color vision deficiency prevalence at 2.59% globally among children and adolescents (95% CI 2.20%-3.03%) (studies published 1932-August 12, 2024; global; 21 countries).
  • In South Indian screening, 2,073 of 74,986 boys aged 11-17 had CVD, a prevalence of 2.76% (95% CI 2.65%-2.88%) (2016-2019; Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, India).
  • In the Iranian school study, amblyopia occurred in 8.3% of children with CVD versus 2.1% of children with normal color vision (study published 2015; survey period not stated in abstract).
  • The same review estimated prevalence at 4.38% among male children and adolescents (95% CI 3.93%-4.88%) (studies published 1932-August 12, 2024).
  • In that screening, prevalence was 3.17% in urban-school boys versus 1.79% in rural-school boys (2016-2019; Kanchipuram, India).
  • In the 1958 British birth cohort, 431 of 6,422 males assessed at age 11 had congenital color vision defects (6.7%) (color vision at age 11; follow-up to age 33; Great Britain).
  • The same review estimated prevalence at 0.64% among female children and adolescents (95% CI 0.46%-0.89%) (studies published 1932-August 12, 2024).
  • In that screening, prevalence was 2.87% in public-school boys versus 2.50% in private-school boys (2016-2019; Kanchipuram, India).
  • At age 33 in that cohort, 8 men with CVD (3.1%) were in police, armed-forces, or firefighting service versus 141 men with normal color vision (3.8%) (age 33 follow-up; Great Britain).
  • An Africa meta-analysis estimated pooled color vision deficiency prevalence at 2.71% (95% CI 2.28%-3.14%) (studies included through 2024).
  • Among 2,600 male industry workers in Abhar, Iran, 164 had CVD and prevalence was 6.3% (study published 2021; examination period not stated in abstract).
  • At age 33 in that cohort, no men with CVD were in electrical/electronic engineering versus 15 men with normal color vision (0.4%) (age 33 follow-up; Great Britain).
  • The Africa meta-analysis reported pooled prevalence of 2.13% among males and 0.34% among females (studies included through 2024).
  • In a study of 2,160 Iranian primary-school children, CVD prevalence was 2.2% (95% CI 1.5%-3.0%) (study published 2015; survey period not stated in abstract).

Contents

What color blindness is and how common it is

The National Eye Institute states that about 1 in 12 men have color vision deficiency (page current at access; last updated 2025-11-05; not specified by NEI). (Color Blindness)

Educational estimate; underlying sample and country are not specified.

Prevalence by sex, region, and age group

Pooled heterogeneous studies; I²=99.37%.

Pooled subgroup estimate for children and adolescents.

Sixteen cross-sectional studies; I²=72.6%.

Sex subgroup estimates depend on included populations and tests.

Country subgroup, not a national census estimate.

Student subgroup is not representative of every African school population.

Color vision deficiency in school and working populations

Boys only; participating schools.

School-location subgroup comparison, not causal evidence.

Observed school-type comparison.

Occupational-medicine male sample, not general population.

Thirty-six-school sample; test threshold and local sampling limit generalization.

Sample-specific sex comparison.

Measured effects and occupational context

  • In the Iranian school study, amblyopia occurred in 8.3% of children with CVD versus 2.1% of children with normal color vision (study published 2015; survey period not stated in abstract). (Prevalence of Color Vision Deficiency…)
  • In the 1958 British birth cohort, 431 of 6,422 males assessed at age 11 had congenital color vision defects (6.7%) (color vision at age 11; follow-up to age 33; Great Britain). (Impact of congenital colour vision…)
  • At age 33 in that cohort, 8 men with CVD (3.1%) were in police, armed-forces, or firefighting service versus 141 men with normal color vision (3.8%) (age 33 follow-up; Great Britain). (Impact of congenital colour vision…)
  • At age 33 in that cohort, no men with CVD were in electrical/electronic engineering versus 15 men with normal color vision (0.4%) (age 33 follow-up; Great Britain). (Impact of congenital colour vision…)

Cross-sectional association, not evidence CVD caused amblyopia.

Historical male birth cohort; not current British prevalence.

Observational cohort employment comparison.

Zero count does not imply universal occupational exclusion.

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