Learn About Your Color Vision

The old trichromatic theory said that you see
colours by comparing the strength of the signals from
each of the three kinds of cone - red, green and blue.

You have over 5 million colour-detecting cones in the retina of each eye.

Trichromatic theory does not explain colours such as gold, silver and brown.

The opponent-process theory said that you see colours in opposing pairs - blue and yellow, red and green.

In opponent-process theory, lots of blue light is thought to cut your awareness of yellow, and vice versa. Lots of green cuts your awareness of red, and vice versa.

Now scientists combine these theories and think that
colour signals from the three kinds of cone are further
processed in the brain in terms of the opposing pairs.

Ultraviolet light is light waves too short for you to
see, although some birds and insects can see it.