One of the primary functions of the visual system is colour sensation.
Colour sensation is the ability of the visual system to receive light radiation of varying spectral compositions and convert it into the perception of colours, shades, and tones. It is thanks to this ability that we can distinguish the vast array of colours in the world around us and form a coherent visual picture.
Colour perception is the ability to receive, distinguish, and interpret the colours of the surrounding world through the visual system. It arises from the interaction of light, the organs of sight, and the brain.
Colour perception begins when light waves strike the retina of the eye. The retina contains specialised photoreceptors — cones and rods. Cones are responsible for colour vision and function most effectively in daylight conditions, whereas rods are primarily sensitive to light levels and enable vision in low-light environments.
It is generally accepted that the human eye contains three types of cone, each sensitive to a different range of light wavelengths: red, green, and blue. These receptors work together to allow us to perceive a vast number of colours and shades.
Once the light signal has been received, the information travels via the optic nerve to the brain, where it is processed and the colour is interpreted. Colour perception can be influenced by lighting conditions, the surrounding colour environment, the level of contrast, and the individual characteristics of a person's visual system.