title: Prevalence of congenital color vision defects in Saudi females of Arab origin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Inherited color vision deficiencies (CVD) vary in prevalence by population and by sex. The most common CVD is X chromosome-linked anomalous trichromacy. Prevalence varies significantly by sex and race. The frequency of color vision defects in Saudi females has not been studied previously. This study surveyed the prevalence of congenital color vision defects in Saudi females of Arab origin.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seven thousand four hundred sixty-seven female subjects (N = 7,467) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia were screened using both Ishihara pseudoisochromatic plates and the Farnsworth Dichotomous test (D-15). CVD subjects were tested further with the Farnsworth-Munsell 100 Hue test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 7,467 female subjects tested, 26 subjects were found to have defective color vision, for a prevalence of 0.35%. Sixteen subjects had a deutan defect, and 10 had a protan defect. Arab females have significantly lower prevalence of CVD when compared with published data from females of other races. Analysis of the 5 regions of Saudi Arabia showed no significant difference between the regions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prevalence of CVD among Saudi females of Arab origin is 0.35% and is among the lowest of all published data.
authors.affiliation: College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Saudi Arabia. malabdulmunem@su.edu.sa
authors.forename: Mussaed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alabdelmoneam
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D018912:Arabs; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D003119:Color Perception Tests; D003117:Color Vision Defects / Q000151:congenital / Q000208:ethnology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult