Virginia is first state to make leaf-peeping possible for colorblind guests in every park

Many Americans travel near and far to capture views of fall foliage bursting with autumn colors across the US. Deep reds, bright yellow hues, crisp browns and other natural colors are typically the centerpiece of the leaf-peeping season. But, for those who are colorblind, the thrill of the scenery could be significantly toned down.For individuals who are colorblind, they are unable to see colors in a typical way and often can’t distinguish between certain colors.This can happen between greens and reds, and occasionally blues, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.In the retina, there are two types of cells that detect light, and these are known as rods and cones, Natasha Herz, M.D., spokesperson for the American Academy Ophthalmology and an ophthalmologist at Family Eye Care & Surgery in Rockville, Maryland, previously told Fox News Digital.Cone cells detect color and are concentrated near the center of your vision.The brain uses input from these cone cells to determine color perception, she said.There are three types of cones that see color: red, green and blue. “Color blindness can happen when one or more of the color cone cells are absent, not working or detect a different color than normal,” Herz said.About 12 million Americans or 3.7% percent of the US population is colorblind, with 7% being males and 0.4% being females, according to the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in New York.Those with colorblindness often miss the marvel of witnessing the amazing colors of the nature’s beauty, but in Virginia, people who are colorblind can use special viewfinders to capture fall’s beauty. Here’s what travelers should know.Virginia State Parks is the first park system in the nation to install EnChroma-adapted viewfinders for colorblind guests at every park, said a news release issued by Virginia State Parks. The installation of EnChroma-adapted viewfinders at Virginia State Parks started in 2023 with Natural Tunnel State Park in t...