HAVE you ever lain awake at night, struck by a sudden curiosity about how colour-blind people experience the world? Do they wake up one day realising their red shirt is actually green?
How do they navigate a world saturated with colour-coded cues, traffic lights, fashion choices, even ripe bananas? And no, contrary to popular belief, most don’t see in black and white.
For the estimated 300 million people worldwide with colour vision deficiency, daily life is a series of quiet adaptations, creative workarounds, and occasional wardrobe mishaps. It’s memorising the order of coloured buttons rather than their hues, relying on friends to veto questionable outfit combinations, and developing a sixth sense for when "beige" might actually be "bright pink."
Sinar Daily explores the thoughts by underlying the life of these individuals who've mastered living in this altered palette. One meticulously labels his wardrobe, another has turned his limitation into a creative advantage, while a parent shares how her family adapted together.
Their stories reveal the quiet challenges and ingenious solutions of seeing the world differently.
Muhammad Shammil Mohd Shukri, a 20-year-old student, shared that one of the most unexpected yet persistent challenges he faces in his daily life is something as simple as choosing what to wear.
For most people, picking out an outfit might be a matter of mood or style but for Shammil, who lives with colour blindness, it’s a bit more complicated.
"Since I can’t distinguish certain colours, especially between red and green or similar shades, I often depend on my family or close friends to help me pick out clothes.
"Their support means a lot, and I’m grateful for their patience and understanding. Without them, I might end up wearing mismatched outfits without even realising it,” he said when contacted recently.
Another challenge he said as he faced difficulties when applying for a driving license as some procedures are stricter for individuals with colour vision deficiency. On top of that, the condition has limited his options in education and career planning.
"In education, I found that some fields or courses were not open to me because they required students to have normal colour vision especially in areas like design, engineering, or medical sciences. These restrictions made me rethink my academic choices and career goals,” he added.
Shammil shared that he only discovered he was colour blind when he was 19, and it came as a complete surprise, leaving him with a wave of emotions that were hard to process. He explained how difficult it was to accept that something he had never noticed before could suddenly change the course of his life.
"I had always assumed I was just like everyone else when it came to seeing colours,” Shammil said.
He later found out that he wasn’t the only one in his family dealing with this issue, as one of his younger siblings also has the same condition, which made him feel a bit less alone.
Socially, he admitted that things weren’t always easy, as the fear of being judged or misunderstood still lingers, though he has been working on rebuilding his self-esteem. over time, he learned to adapt and accept his condition as part of who he is.
"It’s not always easy, and there are days when it still gets to me—but I remind myself that everyone has their own challenges, and this is mine to face.
"With support, self-awareness, and a little bit of courage, I believe I can keep moving forward,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wan Aqid Imran, a 25-year-old student, views his colour blindness as a minor aspect of his life rather than a significant challenge.
Aqid experiences only subtle difficulties, primarily in distinguishing between similar shades like teal and cyan, while recognising broader colours without issue. Unlike some with colour vision deficiency, he passed driving school on his first attempt and feels no incsecurity about his condition.
"I personally believe it's not really something to be insecure about, but maybe that's because my condition isn't nearly as bad as other people out there.
"My colour blindness isn't drastic, I can actually see general colours just fine,” he said when contacted recently.
Aqid's practical approach to daily life reflects his laid-back perspective. His fashion choices lean toward darker colours out of personal preference rather than necessity, though he occasionally verifies colours with family members when uncertain. Together, fashion, for him, is more about preference than limitation.
"I wear darker colours because I like them, not because of my colour blindness. But if I’m unsure, I’ll double-check with someone at home,” he added.
This same pragmatic attitude extends to his creative work, where he's developed a distinctive editing and colour-grading style that others find appealing. Using standard colour-accurate displays like those on Apple devices provides sufficient support for his visual work.
The traditional colour blindness tests with hidden numbers in dotted patterns remain partially challenging for Aqid, with some patterns visible and others not.
"Some I see, others I don’t. But it’s never shaken my self-esteem,” he said.
He shared that his daily routines proceed normally as he navigates urban environments without difficulty, manages household tasks comfortably (though he prefers having company when cooking to confirm colours), and has developed simple strategies for shopping, like photographing items to verify colours with friends when needed.
Aqid traces his colour blindness awareness to a childhood moment when his family corrected him about a colour at the dining table. This early realisation didn't particularly concern him then, and it remains a neutral fact of his life today.
He later discovered the condition runs strongly through the male line of his extended family, likely inherited from his grandfather.
Meanwhile, Hajah Nursuraya Yaakub, a 45-year-old senior technician who is also the mother to Shammil, recalls that her son's education progressed normally throughout primary and secondary school without requiring any special accommodations.
She said that teachers never raised concerns about his performance in subjects like science or art, possibly because he had naturally developed coping mechanisms or remained unaware of his different colour perception. The supportive school environment never presented situations where his condition caused misunderstandings or required intervention.
"At that stage, colour blindness didn’t seem to interfere significantly with their academic performance or daily activities, so there was no pressing need to implement tailored learning strategies.
"However, now that we’re more aware of the condition, we try to be more mindful of their needs and help them make informed decisions, especially regarding further education and career planning,” she said when contacted recently.
The discovery prompted the family to learn more about colour blindness and its potential implications.
Fortunately, her child never struggled with feelings of exclusion or low self-esteem during school years, socialising normally with peers.
However, the practical realities of the condition became more apparent when considering higher education options, as certain fields like electronics or other colour-dependent disciplines were no longer viable choices.
"While it wasn’t emotionally distressing, it did require some adjustment and acceptance,” she added.
As a parent, Nursuraya acknowledges natural concerns about how colour blindness might limit certain life opportunities, particularly in colour-dependent fields.
However, she remains hopeful about the many available paths that don't require colour vision. Her greatest wish is for her child to develop resilience and confidence, focusing on strengths rather than limitations.
She believes that with proper support and adaptive strategies, her child can achieve independence and success comparable to peers without colour vision deficiencies.
"My greatest hope is that my child won’t let this condition discourage them or hold them back. I want them to be confident, resilient, and to keep exploring their strengths.
"Independence is also important, and I believe with the right tools and support, they can adapt and thrive just like anyone else,” she said.
Colour blindness may reshape how some see the world, but these individuals prove it doesn’t limit resilience or creativity. Through quiet adaptations whether in careers, daily tasks, or personal confidence, they navigate a colour-coded world on their own terms.
Most importantly, they show that difference isn’t a barrier, it’s simply another way of being.