chromatopsia /krō′mətop″sē·ə/ [Gk, chroma + opsis, vision] , 1. an abnormal visual condition that makes colorless objects appear tinged with color. 2. a form of color blindness characterized by the imperfect perception of various colors. It may be caused by a deficiency in one or more of the retinal cones or by defective nerve circuits that convey color-associated impulses to the cerebral cortex. The most common defect in color sense is the inability to distinguish red from green, a defect evident in about 10% of men and 1% of women. Compare chromesthesia.
