Where does eye color come from, and how can it change? Does this change happen naturally or do outside factors influence how your eye color appears? When you were born, you likely had blue eyes. Melanin is a pigment that gives your eyes, skin, and hair their color. Once your body became exposed to light, it started to produce melanin, which in turn changed the color of your hair, skin, and eyes.
However, genetics also factor into skin, eye, and hair color. For example, if your parents have darker skin and hair, then you likely had those same dark pigments in your skin and hair when you were born. Your eye color, however, probably took a little more time to develop. The longer your eyes were exposed to light, the more melanin pigments your irises produced. But depending on your genetics, your eyes could have turned dark brown.
So regardless of how much or little light exposure you have, your genes determine how light or dark your eye color is. However, several factors can influence your eye color and whether or not it changes to a different pigment. As previously mentioned, exposure to light causes your body to produce more melanin. Even if your eye color has set, your eye color could slightly change if you expose your eyes to more sunlight.
As a result, your eyes might appear a darker shade of brown, blue, green, or gray, depending on your current eye color. This tissue loss can make the eye color look different. A dilated pupil can make the color of that eye look different from the other eye.
The eye color isn't actually changed, but if the pupil is dilated, less of the color of the iris can be seen. A dilated pupil can be a symptom of a serious condition such as a stroke or brain injury. It can also be the result of eye trauma. In some cases, the pupil returns to normal size with treatment.
The formal term for a difference in pupil size is anisocoria. The color difference between musician David Bowie's eyes was from anisocoria. Glaucoma medications called prostaglandins can cause permanent eye color changes, usually making eyes a darker shade of their natural color over time.
Arcus senilis is a hazy blue or white ring on the cornea from a build-up of a natural fatty substance called lipids. Most seniors have some degree of arcus senilis. It's very rare and needs medical treatment. Hyphema is when there is blood inside the eye, usually from an injury or after surgery. A cataract is a clouding of the lens of the eye , behind the pupil, that makes it look milky or grey. Cataracts are common with aging and affect vision. In most cases, they can be successfully removed with surgery.
Most people will have the same unique eye color from the time they're learning to walk until they're seniors. During the first months of life, an infant's eyes may look more blue-grey and then get darker as eye pigment develops.
M ost babies have the eye color that will last their lifetime by the time they're about nine months old. But a few things can change eye color at any age. If you notice any distinct color change, in either of your eyes, see an ophthalmologist right away. About Foundation Museum of the Eye. Eye Facts and Science.
By Kate Rauch. Edited By Vered Hazanchuk. Iris Color Changes Iris freckles are small brown spots on the surface of the iris that are often related to sun exposure. Iris heterochromia in a patient with Fuchs' Heterochromic Iridocyclitis.
Note the lighter colored iris in the affected right eye. As the pupil changes its size, the pigments in the iris can spread or come together, which causes changes in eye color. You might have heard it said that eye colors change with mood , but the truth behind that is the iris is responding to emotional and hormonal changes.
This can cause eyes to seem lighter or darker in color as a response to an emotional situation, but this would not be a full change in the color of the eyes. In as much as 15 percent of the white population or people who tend to have lighter eye colors , eye color changes with age.
People who had deep brown eyes during their youth and adulthood may experience a lightening of their eye pigment as they enter middle age, giving them hazel eyes. Conversely, someone born with hazel eyes might see their irises get darker as they grow older. Eye colors do slightly change with age , but this should be a gradual transition. If your eye color changes dramatically, even if there is no corresponding difference in vision, you could consult an eye doctor to ensure that there are no medical conditions behind the unexpected change.
Sun exposure can cause your eyes to produce more melanin, resulting in slighter darker eye color. However, the sun cannot dramatically change the color of your eyes.
This melanin production appears as small brown spots on the iris. They are sometimes referred to as eye freckles. People who have high levels of sun exposure throughout their lifetime are more likely to have these dark spots on their irises. Heterochromia is a rare condition in which a person has two different colored irises, or multiple colors within one iris. There are different kinds of heterochromia. If it occurs later in life, it is called acquired heterochromia.
There are many people who are unhappy with the color of their eyes, whether for cosmetic reasons or due to concerns of body image and self-esteem. Colored contact lenses are a safe way of changing your eye color, but this comes with some caveats. First and foremost, colored contact lenses require a prescription, and the prescription must be obtained by a licensed doctor after conducting a standard eye exam. This is true even if there is no need for actual corrective vision devices and even if the contacts are only desired for cosmetic purposes.
Simply put, if you want colored contact lenses that are safe, you have to go through the process of getting a prescription. There are three types of colored contact lenses available to consumers, each one based on how much of a change in eye color is desired. Cosmetic contact lenses should not be used carelessly. If they are not properly maintained with the same cleaning and care as regular corrective lenses , they can damage the surface of the eye and even lead to blindness.
Even if you buy contact lenses solely for decorative purposes, treat them as you would regular contact lenses. Since some people can experience problems with corrective contact lenses — such as redness, pain, and loss of vision — the same issues can happen with cosmetic lenses. Contact your eye doctor if this happens to you.
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