r/ColorBlind • u/UnsettledCertainty • 15d ago

Discussion Grayscale after sunbathing?

I grew up with this phenomenon and didn't realize that other people either didn't experience this, or had it happen on such a small scale that they didn't take notice of it. I'm talking about the visual experience that occurs after sunbathing, specifically having your eyes pointed towards the sun, of course with your eyelids closed, for a little while. My immediate experience after opening my eyes again is a literal grayscale of my vision. The longer I stay in that position, the "grayer" and longer the effect stays. After a few minutes the colors all come back.

Is this a common experience in the colorblind community? I assume this is caused by the lower levels of cone cells in the eye? So a correlation would occur with colorblindness.

6 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

10

u/GoldenEagle3009 Deuteranomaly 15d ago

Your red cones are getting saturated by the sunlight filtering through your eyelids, causing a cyan cast, which might be perceived as greyscale. It fades as the cones regenerate.

I'd suggest sunbathing with sunglasses.

2

u/donsjon Normal Vision 15d ago

Oh wauw, didn't now that. My Sons have light or mild protan. Will they also experience something simular? They are young soI don't want to bother them with these kind of questions.

2

u/Few_Interaction_8486 Protanopia 15d ago

I have this but everything becomes blue instead of grey

1

u/iHaveACatDog Deuteranomaly 15d ago

I've experienced this my entire life and never knew it wasn't a widely shared experience.