Color Difference between Left and Right Eyes?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the phenomenon of color perception differences between the left and right eyes, with participants sharing personal experiences and observations. The scope includes subjective visual experiences, potential physiological explanations, and anecdotal evidence regarding color vision variations under different lighting conditions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants report a noticeable color difference between their eyes, with one eye perceiving warmer hues and the other cooler hues.
  • One participant mentions a potential connection to cataracts and how they may affect color perception, referencing Claude Monet's experience.
  • Another participant shares that their optometrist was surprised by their claim of differing color perception, suggesting it may not be common.
  • Several participants describe their experiences with color perception changes under various lighting conditions, noting differences in intensity and hue.
  • Some speculate that early light exposure or past eye injuries could contribute to permanent asymmetries in color vision.
  • One participant discusses the possibility of nerve damage affecting color perception after a health issue, while another mentions the role of the optic nerve and visual cortex in these differences.
  • There are mentions of how color perception might influence emotional states or psychological conditions, with one participant suggesting a link to depressive symptoms.
  • Some participants express relief in discovering that others share similar experiences, indicating a sense of community around the topic.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that differences in color perception between the eyes exist, but there is no consensus on the underlying causes or mechanisms. Multiple competing views and hypotheses remain unconfirmed.

Contextual Notes

Some claims are based on personal experiences and may lack scientific backing. The discussion includes various assumptions about physiological factors, lighting conditions, and individual differences in eye health.

Who May Find This Useful

This discussion may be of interest to individuals experiencing similar visual phenomena, optometrists, and those curious about the physiological aspects of color perception.

  • #31
Drakkith said:
Not only do I get green, but eventually all of the purple blobs disappear completely, leaving me with only a green blob moving in a circle over a grey background.

I noticed that too. If you focus long and hard enough, the green dot starts to "wipe out" the pink dots as it goes around. Might be "change blindness" but not sure.
 
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  • #32
Could this be a case of X-inactivation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-inactivation) ? It is known that colorblindness is an X-linked recessive disorder. I'm not sure wether or not the timing of the X-inactivation is consistent with a significant difference of active/inactive versions of the genes between the two eyes, but if this indeed the case, females with cases of colorblindness in their family should be affected with higher probability. Lisab definitely fits the profile, it would be interesting to know if the other people who reported this color vision asymmetry do too!
 
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  • #33
Hi I am a new guy thanks to everybody for this nice site, I'm always surprised how good the answers to questions are.
My 2 cents on the unequal color intensity, In my own vision I think I detect the iris adjustment when my hand is removed
from an eye that has been covered, in that time frame the objects initially appears brighter then the iris adjusts to appear less bright
That time could vary with initial light intensity or physiology.
so I had to allow for a settling response time to make a reasonable comparison. just 2 cents that is all
 
  • #34
Add me to the list... I noticed it a few years ago (I'm 35)... It's usually very subtle, with the degree of difference varying depending on lighting conditions. But doing it right now in warm flourescent lighting, red is definitely more "vivid" or brighter with my right eye than with my left.

I also thought of what DavidMcC mentioned regarding a laser. I am a pretty big fan of lasers and have been ever since 7th grade when i bought my first HeNe, and my first green DPSS pointer was back in the 90's when they were $400+ and red diode lasers were still $100. My latest DPSS pointers were $5-$10, but they are missing the IR cut filter, which means they are a bit more dangerous than they appear (why isn't it more common to find cheap DPSS but WITH the IR cut filter? I'd pay $5-$10 more to have one with the filter, rather than have to mess with adding a filter myself). Anyhow, there is a very real chance I've caught a stray beam...
 
  • #35
One of the responses gave me a very interesting clue to test.
When I'm working in my house, when I see the laptop screen, the differences between my eyes rise. And it starts to be annoying because the image starts to "vibrate". It's not comfortable and you get tired very fast.
Now I'm seeing that in my right there is a big window that has a lot of light. That could be causing the difference?
I'm going to change the distribution, to work with the light equally to both eyes. If this fix the problem, i'll tel you.
 
  • #36
17 here and I've noticed this since about the age of 11, I've always been baffled by it and once even worried. My mum used to just dismiss it and tell me I was imagining things so it's great to see that I'm not the only one!

I play as a professional gamer so I'm always at my computer and I've played pc games since about 7/8 there always used to be a window to my right (the warmer eye) maybe it's related to that or Prehaps the ridiculous amount of time ice spent with a screen infront of me.

I've 20:20 vision and passed all the colour blind tests :/
 
  • #37
Well here you are talking no so much of a difference between left and right eye, but an overall higher ability than usual to discriminate different colours.
There are a number of reasons why that could be, but an interesting one is that there are some people who have 4 types of color photoreceptive cells (rods) in their retina instead of the usual 3.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tetrachromacy
 
  • #38
I first noticed it when I was a teenager and still do now at 46. Especially on sunny days the difference is more clear. One eye sees warmer colors and the other cooler, bluish.My ophthalmologist didn't hear of this before when I asked her but tested me with a defect on all my six eye muscles. My vision differs from 'reality' with about 2,5 cm but is corrected almost instantly when I see and I only notice it slightly when I'm tired. It 's also difficult to see depth and to notice moving things when they don't stick out in color or brightness. Like moving cars on cloudy days without the headlights. She thinks it 's caused by a brain damage, either caused by a lack of oxygen at birth which I had or a head concussion when I was 15. Colorblindness doesn't run in my family but one of my grandmothers had Usher's, type II. And I never played with lasers..
 
  • #39
I have this same issue... the color in my right eye are warmer and more vivid than that of my left... I asked my optometrist he said that it is not normal and that it has to do with the brain... He examined my eyes for any damage or pressure issues and neither were present... both my eyes are healthy... He suggested an MRI due to the fact I have diplopia due to muscular weakness that did not start until I was an adult...
 
  • #40
Hello
Just to add my experience, I too, experience this cold/warm hue in the eyes, but I notice it happens only after just waking up from a daytime nap. After fully awakened there still may be a slight difference with both eyes, but is almost negligible. What I have observed, and this is odd, the warm/cold hue switches eyes at some point. I assumed this was normal and never bothered to inquire on the issue, but a quick web search took me to this page. So I now share it with you.:smile:
 
  • #41
I see cool colors in my left eye, warm in the right...
Just noticed it at my current age of 31.
It only happens when I'm lying flat on my front.
I have no history of color-blindness in my family.
I've also just gone cold turkey on caffeine and 2 days in, am experiencing some serious headaches... thought it was related, maybe not :)
 

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