National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center, a program of the National Center for Advancing and Translational Sciences

Achromatopsia 2



Other Names:
ACHM2; Colorblindness, total; RMCH2; ACHM2; Colorblindness, total; RMCH2; Rod monochromatism 2; Rod monochromacy 2 See More
Categories:
This disease is grouped under:

Achromatopsia 2 is a condition that affects the color vision. Most people have complete achromatopsia which is characterized by a total absence of color vision (only able to see black, white and shades of gray). Rarely, affected people may have incomplete achromatopsia which is associated with some color discrimination. Other common signs and symptoms include reduced visual acuity, involuntary back-and-forth eye movements, increased sensitivity to light (photophobia), and hyperopia (farsightedness). Achromatopsia 2 is caused by changes (mutations) in the CNGA3 gene and is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner.[1][2][3] Although color discrimination cannot be improved, treatments are available to address some of the other associated symptoms.[2]
Last updated: 2/19/2016

This table lists symptoms that people with this disease may have. For most diseases, symptoms will vary from person to person. People with the same disease may not have all the symptoms listed. This information comes from a database called the Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) . The HPO collects information on symptoms that have been described in medical resources. The HPO is updated regularly. Use the HPO ID to access more in-depth information about a symptom.

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Medical Terms Other Names
Learn More:
HPO ID
Percent of people who have these symptoms is not available through HPO
Achromatopsia 0011516
Autosomal recessive inheritance 0000007
Blindness 0000618
Hemeralopia
Day blindness
0012047
Nystagmus
Involuntary, rapid, rhythmic eye movements
0000639
Photophobia
Extreme sensitivity of the eyes to light
Light hypersensitivity
[ more ]
0000613
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Last updated: 7/1/2020

Making a diagnosis for a genetic or rare disease can often be challenging. Healthcare professionals typically look at a person’s medical history, symptoms, physical exam, and laboratory test results in order to make a diagnosis. The following resources provide information relating to diagnosis and testing for this condition. If you have questions about getting a diagnosis, you should contact a healthcare professional.

Testing Resources

  • The Genetic Testing Registry (GTR) provides information about the genetic tests for this condition. The intended audience for the GTR is health care providers and researchers. Patients and consumers with specific questions about a genetic test should contact a health care provider or a genetics professional.

If you need medical advice, you can look for doctors or other healthcare professionals who have experience with this disease. You may find these specialists through advocacy organizations, clinical trials, or articles published in medical journals. You may also want to contact a university or tertiary medical center in your area, because these centers tend to see more complex cases and have the latest technology and treatments.

If you can’t find a specialist in your local area, try contacting national or international specialists. They may be able to refer you to someone they know through conferences or research efforts. Some specialists may be willing to consult with you or your local doctors over the phone or by email if you can't travel to them for care.

You can find more tips in our guide, How to Find a Disease Specialist. We also encourage you to explore the rest of this page to find resources that can help you find specialists.

Healthcare Resources


Research helps us better understand diseases and can lead to advances in diagnosis and treatment. This section provides resources to help you learn about medical research and ways to get involved.

Clinical Research Resources

  • ClinicalTrials.gov lists trials that are related to Achromatopsia 2. Click on the link to go to ClinicalTrials.gov to read descriptions of these studies.

    Please note: Studies listed on the ClinicalTrials.gov website are listed for informational purposes only; being listed does not reflect an endorsement by GARD or the NIH. We strongly recommend that you talk with a trusted healthcare provider before choosing to participate in any clinical study.

Patient Registry

  • A registry supports research by collecting of information about patients that share something in common, such as being diagnosed with Achromatopsia 2. The type of data collected can vary from registry to registry and is based on the goals and purpose of that registry. Some registries collect contact information while others collect more detailed medical information. Learn more about registries.

    Registries for Achromatopsia 2:
    My Retina Tracker®
     

Support and advocacy groups can help you connect with other patients and families, and they can provide valuable services. Many develop patient-centered information and are the driving force behind research for better treatments and possible cures. They can direct you to research, resources, and services. Many organizations also have experts who serve as medical advisors or provide lists of doctors/clinics. Visit the group’s website or contact them to learn about the services they offer. Inclusion on this list is not an endorsement by GARD.

Organizations Supporting this Disease


These resources provide more information about this condition or associated symptoms. The in-depth resources contain medical and scientific language that may be hard to understand. You may want to review these resources with a medical professional.

Where to Start

In-Depth Information

  • GeneReviews provides current, expert-authored, peer-reviewed, full-text articles describing the application of genetic testing to the diagnosis, management, and genetic counseling of patients with specific inherited conditions.
  • The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. Monarch’s tools are designed to make it easier to compare the signs and symptoms (phenotypes) of different diseases and discover common features. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health. Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition.
  • Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. OMIM is maintained by Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. 
  • PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Achromatopsia 2. Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic.

Questions sent to GARD may be posted here if the information could be helpful to others. We remove all identifying information when posting a question to protect your privacy. If you do not want your question posted, please let us know.


  1. Achromatopsia. Genetics Home Reference. January 2015; http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/achromatopsia.
  2. Susanne Kohl, BSc, MSc, PhD, Herbert Jägle, MD, FEBO, Dhabil, Prof, and Bernd Wissinger, BSc, MSc, PhD, Prof. Achromatopsia. GeneReviews. October 2015; http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK1418.
  3. ACHROMATOPSIA 2. OMIM. September 2015; http://www.omim.org/entry/216900.