Here are a few of the most rare and interesting. Given how complicated the process is for each person’s eyes gain their color, it’s not surprising that there are some rare and unique colorations that pop up from time to time. Unique Eye ColorsĬat with Sectoral Heterochromia. If you’re interested in learning more about the genetics that impact eye color, the following is a thorough, but complex report. These days, there are so many colors of eyes to behold, that scientists have added several gradients to their color scale beyond blue, green, or brown. It’s a very complex phenomenon, but the combination of reduced pigments, textures within the iris, blood vessel and fibrous tissue reflect back light as the color blue.įor colors such as green, gray, or olive, these are halfway colors that are caused by more pigment than blue eyes, but less than brown. But then, genetic mutations began to affect certain genes and reduced the amount of brown pigments being produced in the front of the iris. Genetics and Eye ColorĪbout 10,000 years ago, the earliest humans in the world all had significant amount of pigment in their eyes and everyone’s eyes were brown. You might be thinking, “well that covers brown eyes, but what about other colors?” Well, here’s where evolution and history comes into play.
Eye colors skin#
With enough exposure, your skin will begin to tan – that’s the melanin building up pigment to protect you. Melanin is found all over the body, including hair, the eye, skin, and even parts of the inner ear and brain! The easiest way to see melanin in action is to spend some time in the sun.
This protection goes as far as protecting our DNA from the Sun’s UV radiation. Typically ranging from black to brown, the pigments in melanin absorb light to filter it away from more sensitive parts of the body. Melanin is derived from a form of amino acids called tyrosine. In humans and animals, that protection comes in the form of melanin. It’s the Melaninīecause the iris is a key component in filtering out the light that enters our eyes, it makes sense that the iris would need protection. If there’s too much light or too little, vision can be impaired or even damaged. This muscular little membrane works in tandem with the pupil to regulate the amount of light that passes into the eye. The iris is a ring-like and flat membrane that sits behind the outer cornea. Let’s start with where eye color resides, in the iris. Today, Marano Eye Care in New Jersey will explore the depths of eye color and the function of the iris. But why do we have different colored eyes? Why is there color at all. If that wasn’t enough, the color dynamics found in the iris are both mesmerizing and beautiful. But it’s more than just being able to see it’s judging depth, color, and discerning objects with even the least amount of light. While the concept of how the body bends its fingers or digests food are fairly easy to understand, the idea that these moist little spheres are capable of sight is remarkable.