Have you ever looked at your eyes in the mirror? You've probably noticed that your friends and family members have eyes that are different colors. Some have dark brown eyes, some have light blue eyes, and maybe even some have green eyes. How do these eyes actually get their color? Today, let's talk about this amazing eye color.
How do eyes get their color?
Simply put, your eye color is determined by the iris, a part of the eye that surrounds the black pupil in the center of your eye. Like the lens of a camera, this iris controls how much light enters the eye.
Now, the main reason why this constellation gets its color is the pigment called `Melanin` . Your skin also gets its color because of this melanin. When there is more melanin in the skin, the skin becomes darker, and when there is less melanin, the skin becomes lighter. The same is true of the eyes.
Everyone has melanin in the back layer of the retina in their eyes. However, people with certain conditions, such as albinism, may have less melanin in their eyes.
So, if you have a lot of melanin in both the front and back layers of your iris, you have brown eyes . Experts sometimes refer to the word `iris` as the plural `irids`. People with hazel or green eyes have less melanin in the front layer of their iris than people with brown eyes. People with very little or no melanin in the front layer of their iris have blue or gray eyes.
What are the different colors of these eyes?
In fact, there is no consensus among experts about the main eye colors that humans can have. Colors that are present in some classifications may not be present in others. However, there are some main eye colors that are generally accepted by most people:
- Gray eyes
- Blue eyes
- Green eyes
- Hazel eyes - This can be a combination of green, gold, or brown.
- Amber eyes - This is a golden yellow color.
- Brown eyes - This ranges from light brown to dark brown, almost black.
Just think, even though there are these basic colors, the way those colors appear to our eyes is infinitely complex. No two people have exactly the same eye color. Even identical twins can have subtle differences in eye color.
Why are these eye colors so different?
There are several factors that affect this:
- Iris structure: The front layer of your iris may have small depressions, or pits, that make some areas appear darker than others. This can be like the spots on your skin.
- Color blindness in one or both eyes: Some people can see more than one color in one or both eyes. This difference can be different shades of the same color. Or the inner part of the iris may be one color and the outer part another. Very rarely, some people can have one eye that is a completely different color than the other. This condition is called heterochromia .
- Eye color changes throughout life: Did you know that babies' eye color can change before they turn one year old? Some people's eye color also changes later in life. Also, some medical conditions can cause your eye color to change.
Why do people with albinism have red or pink eyes?
People with albinism have very little or no melanin in their eyes. When they have very little melanin in their iris, their eyes may appear very light blue or gray. However, when there is no melanin in either layer of the iris, the blood vessels in their retina are clearly visible. That is why their eyes appear pink or red.
Does eye color affect our health?
Yes, sometimes your eye color can change with certain medications or medical conditions . Some of these changes are harmless, but others can be a sign of something serious. Here are a few examples:
- Cataracts
- Glaucoma and some of the medications used for it
- Horner syndrome
- Arcus senilis (a white or gray ring around the black eye, especially with age)
Sometimes, there may be a link between your eye color and your risk of developing certain diseases. For example, people with brown eyes may have a slightly higher risk of developing cataracts. It is also said that people with blue eyes are more resistant to the effects of mental health conditions such as seasonal affective disorder .
The most important thing is that if you notice a sudden change in your eye color, or if your eye color changes after an eye injury or with a change in your vision, you should definitely see an eye care specialist. They can tell you if it needs further attention and treatment.
What is the most common eye color?
The most common eye color in the world is brown . More than half of the world's population has brown eyes. Some experts consider amber and brown to be variations of the same color.
The main reason for this is the range of shades within the color brown. Brown eyes can range from light brown to dark brown. In some of the darkest brown eyes, it is difficult to tell where the iris ends and the black ring begins.
What is the rarest eye color?
Green is the rarest of the major eye colors, excluding red/pink eyes caused by conditions like albinism. Only about 2% of the world's population has green eyes. Imagine how small that is!
Are all babies born with blue eyes?
No. This is a common misconception. While it is common for babies to be born with blue eyes, not everyone is born with them. In fact, a 2016 study found that only 20% of babies are born with blue eyes. The same study also found that about 63% of babies are born with brown eyes and about 6% are born with green eyes. So, the saying "every baby is born with blue eyes" is not entirely true.
When do babies' eye color change?
Not all babies change eye color, but many do. If your baby's eye color changes, you'll probably notice it when they're about 3 months old. Most children's eye color changes completely by the time they're about 6 years old. However, a very small percentage of children may continue to have slight changes in eye color into adulthood.
The researchers who conducted the aforementioned 2016 study retested 73% of the children who participated in the original study two years later. The study found that by the age of 2, only one in three children had changed their eye color.
Does a baby get their eye color from their parents?
Yes, but it's not just the parents' eye color that determines this. The genetics that determine eye color are very complex. Researchers have now identified dozens of genes and DNA mutations that affect eye color.
So, while the parents' eye color is a major factor, it's not the only one that's decisive. Sometimes, eye color can be passed down through generations. That means if a baby has a different eye color than their mother and father, there could be many reasons for that. That's normal.
What is this Hazel color?
Hazel eyes are caused by the amount of melanin in your iris being lower than someone with brown eyes, but higher than someone with blue or green eyes. Hazel eyes are a combination of brown, gold, or green . This is not always the same mix. Some people only have two of these colors in their eyes, while others have all three. This diversity among people with hazel eyes is a good example of how unique eye color can be.
Finally, things to remember
Your eye color is something that sets you apart from everyone else in the world, something that is unique to you. It can change throughout your life, and it can also provide clues about your history and ancestry. Understanding how eye color works can sometimes be a clue to medical conditions or health issues.
It's easy to see how attractive someone's eye color (or your own) is, no matter what reason you take the time to look at it. So, take care of your eyes, because they are part of your identity.
` Eye color, melanin, constellation, eye health, baby eyes, genetics, brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes
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