How do colors affect our vision?
Different colors are detected by the eyes by the sensory cones (link to bio) which detect the level of stimulation of red, green and blue. But since different colors take different combinations of cones to work, each color affects our vision in a slightly different way. For example, have you noticed how a glaring yellow poster seems to jump out at you, as opposed to a light pleasant blue? Do you get uncomfortable when there are way too many bright colors in front of you, so that your eyes feel weary and you see the colors even after you close your eyes?
Scientists have found out that the bright colors tend to exhaust the eyes because they reflect the most light. Thus, the sensory cells of the eyes have a lot more work to do. This is why you find it hard to look at a bright color for too long. Interestingly, the color that makes the eyes work the hardest is yellow—which is also the most eye-catching color. Therefore, too much yellow can be extremely irritating, but just the right amount of yellow to highlight (yellow highlighters?) important things or caution signs makes sure you take notice of them. But there is a way around this, because if pure yellow is too much to take, you can always tone it down to something much more pleasant.
Out of the 250 000 cones present in the eyes, 83 000 cones are sensitive to the color red. Now when you look at pure red, the blue and green cones will not be stimulated at all, but at the same time, those 83 000 cones are going to be stretched to sensing at full capacity. To adapt to the excess of red, the cones lower their sensitivity and nearly stop working. So when you stop looking at red, the first colors you will see are blue and green—since only those cones are functioning properly. Try looking at a bright red thing for half a minute and then blink your eyes. What did you see?
The eyes are not only sensitive to colors, they also have rods which are sensitive to the grayscale; that is, the light intensity. What happens when the rods are over-stimulated (like what happened to the red cones)? Well, when you look at an area of sharply contrasting light intensities, you make things difficult for the rods. They have to work hard to adjust to the large amount of light reflected by the white (80%) as well as to the very small amount reflected by black (5%). This strains the rods, so that when you look away, you see an afterimage of grey; like the afterimage of green and blue you saw after seeing red.
Wanna Play Games?
Check out our gaming section full of short but fun games based on colors, these games give you and opportunity to let your creativity flow unbounded.
Visit Gaming Section Now