Certified Ophthalmic Medical Technologist (COMT) Practice Exam

A patient who is protanomalous has a deficiency of which color pigment?

1. Blue

2. Green

3. Red

4. Yellow

The correct answer is: Red

In the case of a protanomalous patient, there is a specific deficiency in the red pigment, which affects how they perceive colors. Protanomaly is a type of red-green color vision deficiency that arises from a mutation affecting the red cone photopigment in the retina. As a result, individuals with this condition often have difficulty distinguishing between reds and greens, particularly struggling with the perception of red hues. Understanding color vision deficiencies involves recognizing that the retina contains cone cells, each sensitive to different wavelengths of light corresponding to red, green, and blue. Those with protanomaly have altered sensitivity to red light due to the reduced effectiveness of the red cone photopigment, leading to a blurring of color contrast in that spectrum. Consequently, the deficiency impacting color perception in protanomalous individuals is specifically related to the red pigment, making it the correct answer for the question.