Myths

Are Bulls Angered by the Color Red?

No they aren’t… I think you’ll find they just hate having a little Spanish guy waving a flag in their face! But seriously, all cows are red green color blind – they cannot differentiate the color of the flag. Bulls do however have 2 kinds of color receptors and as such can theoretically see some shades of color. It is actually the motion of the material that angers the bull and causes it to want to charge. The concept of bulls being angered by the color red stems from bullfighting where a red flag is used. So next time you’re participating in the running of the bulls in Pamplona Spain, don’t stress if you lost your red flag – anything will do!

Are Cats, Dogs & Bulls Color Blind?

Like most mammals, it has long been assumed that cats and dogs are all color blind and can only see in black and white. Recent studies have found this to be untrue; Cats, dogs, bulls, and many other mammals can see in color. Comparative to the human eye, other mammals do however see color in a different and more limited fashion.

Scientifically speaking, dogs do not have L-Cones which means they cannot see red, but can see blue and green – Dogs also have many times less cone cells in their eyes, which causes colors to appear approximately 7x less vibrant than to human eyes. However, on the upside for our color blind buddies, they have a reflective surface behind the retina which greatly increases their night vision.

Only Males are Color Blind

As my diligent reader, you would already know this to be myth. As covered in my how color blindness works section and the prevalence statistics page, women can indeed be color blind but thanks to having two X chromosomes they are much less likely to be. If one of the X chromosomes is genetically mutated, the normal one will take precedence and the woman will see properly but remain a carrier – offering any sons she has a 50% chance of being color blind, and any daughters a 50% chance of also being a carrier. There are other ways to acquire color blindness; through trauma etc, however the rate of occurrence is extremely low compared with genetic inheritance of color blindness. The reason this myth exists is obvious, with up to 10% of men in most countries suffering some form of color blindness, but less than 1% of women, it’s no wonder some people ask the question!

Eating Carrots will Improve your Vision

This myth is more related to remedying short and long sighted vision however I’ll include it anyway. Vitamin A is essential for good sight, and it is true that carrot is high in vitamin A however, so are a great deal of other foods including apricots, nectarines, milk, and many others. A well balanced diet will provide all the necessary vitamin A requirements for healthy vision regardless of the inclusion of carrots.

Computer and TV Screens can damage your eyes

Again, a fairly generalised myth not specifically related to color blindness but worth debunking all the same! Your computer monitor won’t harm your eyes, however when using a computer for extended periods, the eyes blink less than normal. This makes the eyes dry, which often leads to a feeling of fatigue and eye strain. Likewise, as much as parents like to tell their children too much TV will hurt their eyes, there is simply no proof of this whatsoever. In either case, to avoid any feelings of fatigue, regular short breaks are recommended. Interestingly, children have been found to focus at close range better than adults, but if you do notice your child regularly sitting close to the TV it may be a sign of short sightedness – and on those grounds should be investigated.

Does Wearing Glasses Make Vision Worse?

This is a myth! Glasses only change the path of the light entering the eye; they don’t change the eye itself. It is extremely common for a teenager’s vision to get worse over time as the eye is still growing. Much like having to buy larger shoes each year, you might need more powerful glasses.