Pingelap: Island of the Colorblind

Envision a tropical paradise, not unlike the island scene pictured above, complete with breathtaking scenery that includes crystal blue waters and luscious plant-life. Now imagine that you cannot see any of these things in color. This is the situation that between 5% and 10% of the native population of Pingelap Atoll, part of the Micronesian State of Pohnpei, find themselves in (3).

Supposedly, a freak typhoon-like storm ravaged the island in the late eighteenth century and killed a number of the island's inhabitants. Approximately 20 people survived to replenish the isolated island's population. Roughly four generations after the typhoon, the citizens of Pingelap began exhibiting symptoms of a rare recessive disorder known as Achromatopsia. Achromatopsia is characterized by extreme light sensitivity, poor vision, and complete inability to distinguish colors (3). This anomaly is the focus of Oliver Sacks' new book The Island of the Colorblind and its publication has succeeded in raising public awareness about the rare hereditary disease of Achromatopsia. Of the roughly the 3000 people living in Pingelap today, 5% to 10% of them are affected by the disorder and about 30% are carriers (3). All of these people are able to trace their ancestry to a single male typhoon survivor who researchers believe was the carrier of the disease that emerged when some of his descendents intermarried (3).

The three primary colors - as far as light is concerned - are red, green, and blue. In order to "see" images, the human eye enables light to stimulate the retina (a neuro-membrane lining the inside of the back of the eye). The retina is made up of what are called rods and cones. The rods, located in the peripheral retina, give u...

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...mation about colorblindness and color deficiencies. Color wheel images used in this paper were taken from this site.

http://colorvisiontesting.com/

(3) Not seeing Red (or Blue or Green).Article from BioScience Online. Issue: August, 2000.

http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1042/is_8_50/ai_65227426

(4) The Island of the Colorblind.Information on Oliver Sacks' book The Island of the Colorblind.

http://www.oliversacks.com/island.html

(5) What is Achromatopsia? From the Achromatopsia Network.

http://www.achromat.org/what_is_achromatopsia.html

(6) About Oliver Sacks' book "The Island of the Colorblind" and the PBS Documentary film "Island of the Colorblind".

http://www.achromat.org/upcoming.html

(7) Special needs of persons with Achromatopsia. Information from The Achromatopsia Network.

http://www.achromat.org/special_needs_of_achromats.html