Eyes of different colors. Different colors

A person's eyes are the mirror of his soul. The color of the eyes can determine the character and person. However, there are people whose eye color is different. Different eyes - a phenomenon noted in 1% of the world's population. This phenomenon in medicine is called heterochromia. It manifests itself in the fact that one eye partially or completely differs from the other in color. This phenomenon is caused by a lower content in it, compared with the other eye, of melanin pigment. It is melanin that colors a person. If a person has different eyes, the content of melanin pigment in the iris of the lighter one is significantly reduced. As a result, it becomes lighter than the other.

Why is there such a phenomenon as different eyes? What is the reason why a person's eyes become different?

If a person has different eyes, this feature is often innate. However, heterochromia can occur in a person during life. In this case, you should consult a doctor, because this may be the result of various diseases. Firstly, the reason that a person has different eyes is a lack or excess of melanin pigment. This may indicate the presence of the following diseases: glaucoma, inflammation of the iris caused by rheumatism, influenza or tuberculosis, as well as the development of a benign tumor in the human body. In addition, different eyes can also appear as a person's reaction to drugs and medicines.

Another cause of heterochromia is the untimely removal of an iron or copper fragment in case of an eye injury. In this case, the iris can change its color.

It may turn blue-green or rusty-brown. These are the main reasons that different irises can recover if heterochromia is acquired. For example, if you remove a foreign body in case of eye injuries or cure inflammatory processes.

Heterochromia has two varieties. It can be complete or partial. Partial heterochromia is manifested in the fact that the human eye is immediately painted in two colors, that is, one part of the iris will have one shade, and the other will be painted in a completely different color. A complete person is two eyes of different colors that differ from each other.

Many people think that heterochromia - different eyes in a person - can affect his health or perception of the world around him. However, this is a misconception, because, fortunately, in most cases, people with such a phenomenon as different eyes do not feel any discomfort and do not experience health problems. However, there are exceptions when people with a light colored iris can develop a chronic inflammatory process. Such a process can adversely affect a person's vision. Therefore, people even with congenital rather than acquired heterochromia need to periodically visit an ophthalmologist's office. treated in the same way as normal. Women are more susceptible to such a phenomenon as heterochromia than men.

The eyes allow us to perceive the world around us as accurately as possible. This organ can be called the most complex among all the elements in the human body. Due to the special arrangement, the eyes, in addition to the shape of the object, allow you to perceive objects in volume. They not only receive information from outside, but they themselves can tell a lot. Information can be both the color of the iris and the shape of the eye (pupil). But some people have different meanings. Let's consider why this happens.

Each person has a different color and shade of eyes. Everyone knows this and has repeatedly paid attention. They can be brown, green, blue, green, gray and even amber and purple (pictured). Why does it happen? Why does a person have a different eye color and is it in a wide range? In order to deal with this issue, you need to deepen your knowledge of the origin of eye color.

Why do people have different eyes?

At its core, eye color is completely dependent on the iris, which is located around the pupil. With its help, the amount of light passing to the photosensitive receptors is regulated. The color of the iris directly depends on the amount of coloring pigment - melanin. With a large amount of melanin, we get brown eyes.

But how do light eye colors come about? No, this is not because there is more or less melanin in the cells. The thing is that the light, falling on the iris, is scattered by special cells, which can be many, few or very few. As a result, reflected from them, the beam returns, and we see that the person's eyes are blue, gray or green. As a rule, people have the following colors:

Blue eyes;

amber and purple (very rare).

The iris takes on color primarily to protect the eyes from light. The pigment melanin attracts and absorbs ultraviolet radiation, which destroys cells and the retina. Exactly the same paint is in our body to protect the skin, but in the eyes it plays the most important role, painting the pupils in bizarre colors.

Eyes of different color

Some people may have a pathology in the form of two eyes of different color. This is justified both by a hereditary trait (parents with different colors of the iris) and by various diseases. But whatever the color of the eyes, this value is directly regulated by the amount of melanin.

It happens that the iris does not contain melanin at all. From this, the quality of vision does not change, and this pathology is called albinism. In this case, ultraviolet passes through the iris and affects the blood vessels. As a result, the color of the eyes becomes red or pink. When photographing, exactly the same effect works, because the red eyes in the photo are obtained due to the reflection of the color of the blood vessels.

Why are the eyes different in shape?

In addition to the fact that people have different eye colors, they also come in a wide variety of shapes. And it occurs simultaneously in the same person. This disease is called anisocria. Pupils at the same time have a different size. This pathology consists in the fact that the muscles of both visual organs have a different tone. The causes of anisocria are different:

getting an infection;

various injuries in which the muscle tissue of the pupil is damaged;

tumors of various kinds and aneurysms - the oculomotor nerve is compressed;

syndromes of Horner, Adie (more often observed in females).

Also, a different shape of the eyes can be with glaucoma and inflammation of the iris. The worst cause is thyroid cancer. In this case, the sympathetic nerve is infringed and, as a result, the muscle tissue of the eye relaxes, thus expanding the pupil.

What to do with different eye shapes?

It is important to understand that anisocria symptoms do not just happen. In this case, the consequences can be very different. It all depends on the reason. Therefore, the usual treatment with herbs at home will not lead to good. This should be understood, because by launching the disease and hoping that everything will pass by itself, you risk complicating the situation.

The first step is to go to a specialist who will accurately determine the cause of the appearance of the pathology and, as a result of the diagnosis, prescribe the correct treatment. The thing is that anisocria can be a manifestation of a more complex and terrible disease. In addition to undermining the state of health, it carries a danger to life. For this reason, research should be carried out comprehensively.

An experienced doctor will first prescribe a fluoroscopic examination of the neck, MRI and EEG. This decision will eliminate doubts about the presence of a cause in the head area. You should strictly adhere to all the prescriptions of the doctor, and the result of the treatment will not keep you waiting.

Whenever we meet a person, we first look into his eyes. It is by them that we determine the inner feelings of the interlocutor to us, evaluate the beauty of their color, and also predict the character and even the fate of a person, but why do people have different eye colors? Let's figure it out.

Why does a person's eye color change from a medical point of view

The human eye is a complex and very fragile organ. It is the lens through which our brains can capture colors and information.

The color palette is affected by both genetic features. Our eyes have two layers of irises. It is the peculiarity of the distribution of the color pigment and its density that affect the manifestation of the color of the second layer (eyes).

Why does a person's eye color change - exceptions

It happens that the genetically incorporated eye color mutates. A person can have multi-colored eyes (one is blue, the other is green). This is called heterochromia. Its degree is classified as:

partial;
average;
complete.

For some, this is a unique feature to stand out, while for others, on the contrary, it brings discomfort. The best way out for complete heterochromia is to purchase contact lenses of the right shade.

Also, color features include people with red eyes - albinos. They completely lack the pigment melanin in the body. Due to this, the iris shell has a transparent surface, and the vessels of the eyes located in it become visible.

Very rare - purple eyes. Their combination is obtained due to the presence of red and blue pigment. Which in symbiosis gives a purple color.

So we looked at why people have different eye colors. As you can see from everything - color variations directly depend on both genetic factors and residence.

Eyes of different colors are scientifically called heterochromia. This phenomenon is spoken of when two eyes in one person or animal have a different color of the iris. The color of the iris of the eyes is determined by the amount of melanin. Melanin is the pigment that gives color to our hair, skin and eyes. Melanin is produced in special cells called melanocytes and additionally serves to protect the skin from ultraviolet rays.

Causes of different eye colors

To understand why there are eyes of different colors, it is necessary to understand how the color of a person's eyes is generally determined. The decisive factor is hereditary, although it manifests itself in various variations. Four basic colors form many shades of eye color in people around the world. If the vessels of the iris have a bluish tint, then the owner of such eyes can boast of a blue, blue or gray iris.

In the case of a sufficient amount of melanin in the iris, the eyes will be brown or even black (with an excess). Yellow shades occur in the presence of substances associated with liver disorders. And red eyes are only in albinos, people with a lack of melanin. In addition to red eyes, such people have pale skin and colorless hair.

Different combinations of basic colors merge into a huge number of shades. So, for example, green eyes will be obtained by mixing yellow and blue, and swampy by mixing blue with brown.

Heterochromia, on the other hand, develops even in the prenatal period, due to a mutation after the fertilization of the egg. It may not be accompanied by any concomitant diseases and disorders. But in some cases, people with different eyes also suffer from various diseases and syndromes. The most common of them are Waardenburg syndrome, ocular melanosis, leukemia, melanoma, etc.

Types of heterochromia

Types of heterochromia by location:

Complete. In this case, people have a different color of both eyes (one is blue, the other is gray).
Sectoral. In this case, two different colors are combined on the same iris. Usually one color is dominant, and the second is located on its background in the form of a small area.
Central. This type is characterized by two or more colors, one of which dominates the entire iris, and the other or others frame the pupil with a ring.

Owners of eyes of different colors

A rather small number of people with heterochromia are observed worldwide. Approximately 1% of the world's population looks unusual due to different eyes. But there are not only people with this phenomenon. It is widespread among cats, in which one eye is consistently blue, while the other may be yellow, green, or orange. Among cat breeds, heterochromia is most often observed in the Angora breed, as well as other breeds with a white coat color. Among dogs, heterochromia can often be seen in the Siberian Husky, Border Collie, and Australian Shepherd. Horses, buffaloes and cows can also have heterochromia, which does not affect their health in any way.

Does something need to be done?

Heterochromia in itself does not bring any physical discomfort to a person, not to mention animals. It also does not affect the quality of vision. Often people suffering from complexes about multi-colored eyes are used to correct their appearance. Of the personal qualities such people are credited with honesty, vulnerability, loyalty, generosity, conflict and some egocentrism. It is difficult for them to be not in the center of attention, and they are distinguished by touchiness.

ICD-10 ICD-9 OMIM Not to be confused with Heterochromatin. Not to be confused with Heterochronia.

Heterochromia(from Greek ἕτερος - “different”, “different”, χρῶμα - color) - a different color of the iris of the right and left eyes or an uneven color of different parts of the iris of one eye. It is the result of a relative excess or deficiency of melanin (pigment). Heterochromia also refers to a different color of the skin or hairline.

Eye color, that is, the color of the irises, is determined primarily by the concentration and distribution of melanin. An eye affected by heterochromia may be hyperpigmented or hypopigmented.

In newborn children, the color of the eyes is often brighter than usual. The eye almost always fades with age. But sometimes it can retain color depth. This is a rare occurrence, but more common in complete heterochromia, although the chances of this phenomenon are still small.

Classification and causes

Heterochromia is classified primarily as either genetic or acquired. Although a distinction is often made between heterochromia of the eye: complete(Greek heterochromia iridis) and partial. At complete heterochromia the color of one iris is different from the color of the other. At partial heterochromia or sectoral heterochromia the color of one part of the iris is different from the color of the rest.

congenital heterochromia

It is usually inherited in an autosomal dominant manner.

Simple heterochromia is a phenomenon characterized by the absence of other eye or systemic problems. Abnormally light eyes are usually considered as iris hypoplasia. It can manifest itself either completely or partially.
Waardenburg syndrome
Horner's syndrome
Piebaldism - the presence on the skin of the limbs, face, and some other parts of the body of congenital white, completely devoid of melanocytes, spots; inherited in an autosomal dominant manner and due to various mutations
Hirschsprung disease
Bloch-Sulzberger Syndrome
Parry-Romberg disease (Romberg syndrome)

Acquired heterochromia

Acquired, usually due to injury, inflammation, tumors, or the use of certain eye drops.

Abnormal darkening of the iris

Corneal iron deposits Siderosis(deposition of iron in the tissues of the eye) and Hemosiderosis
Certain eye drops that are used topically to lower intraocular pressure in people with glaucoma. Occurs due to stimulation of melanin synthesis in the iris
Tumor
iridocorneal endothelial syndrome

Abnormal illumination of the iris

Fuchs' heterochromic iridocyclitis - as a result of intraocular inflammation, atrophy of the iris occurs and heterochromia characteristic of this condition occurs
Horner's syndrome - usually acquired due to neuroblastoma, but can also be congenital
Melanoma can also cause iris lightening

In addition, heterochromia can be caused by Stilling-Turk-Duane syndrome, mosaicism, uveitis, juvenile xanthogranuloma, leukemia, and lymphoma.

Heterochromia in animals

Complete heterochromia

Odd-eyed black cat

Heterochromia is more common in animals than in humans. It usually results in a blue color in one eye.

Eyes of different colors can be found in completely white cats or in cats with a large percentage of white in color, especially in breeds such as the Van cat and Turkish Angora. Cats with eyes of different colors are called odd-eyed. Odd-eyed cats have one eye that is orange, yellow, or green, and the other eye is blue.

According to legend, the favorite cat of the Prophet Muhammad - Muizza had eyes of different colors.

In domestic dogs, heterochromia is common in the Siberian Husky breed.

Horses with complete heterochromia usually have one brown eye and a second white, gray, or blue eye. Complete heterochromia is most common in pinto horses. It is also found among cows and Asian buffaloes.

Sectoral heterochromia

Sectoral heterochromia is common in Australian Shepherds, Huskies, and Border Collies.

Notable cases of heterochromia

Heterochromia is present in Kate Bosworth, Tim McIlroth, Mila Kunis, Alice Eve.

Among the literary examples of heterochromia are the books “Mages can do anything” (all magicians with innate abilities have eyes of different colors), “Four tankmen and a dog” (in the book tank commander Vasily Semyonov has different eyes), “White Guard” (lieutenant Viktor Myshlaevsky) and The Master and Margarita (Woland) by Mikhail Bulgakov. In the literary series Ethnogenesis, heterochromia is used as an indicator that the heroes are wearing one or another magical artifact.

Many heroes of computer games, cartoons and anime have heterochromia.

Gallery

different eye color

The color of the eyes depends on the blood filling of the vessels of the iris and the amount of pigment contained in it. This thin diaphragm with a pupil is located in front of the lens and behind the cornea. The color of the pigment may indicate any disease in the body. For example, in diseases of the liver, the iris becomes yellow or brown. The natural color of pigments depends on genes and race. It can also be a characteristic feature of any nationality. There are only three pigment colors. It is brown, blue and yellow. The mixing of these pigments in the blood vessels determines the color of the eyes. For example, mixing blue and yellow gives a green color scheme.

different eye color

Sometimes there is an excess or deficiency of melanin in the iris. Then a phenomenon called heterochromia is possible, the manifestation of which is a different eye color. This condition occurs in both humans and animals. Most often, the color of one eye is brown, and the other is blue. But still, each person has his own, unique form of heterochromia. Such people look mysterious and unusual, standing out from the crowd.

Heterochromia happens:

1. Complete, when the colors of the irises of the eyes are different.

2. Partial, in which one pupil combines two colors.

Different color eyes in cats are no longer surprising. This phenomenon is familiar to us. Eyes of different colors in humans are much less common. Heterochromia can be congenital, resulting from an excess or lack of melanin. But there is also an acquired condition as a result of trauma, in people with tumors or glaucoma.

From a psychological point of view, people with different eye colors are considered extraordinary, unpredictable and fearless. However, they have egocentrism in a pronounced form. Requiring great attention to their personality, they like to be alone with themselves. As a result, they have a very narrow circle of close people.

Women with different eye colors always strive for perfection. They love to enjoy their appearance, considering it ideal. Possessing a delicate taste, they are fond of poetry, music, dancing and are great optimists.

People with different eye colors lead a measured lifestyle. Bright events are quite rare. But this is not disappointing. Thanks to their inexhaustible imagination and remarkable organizational skills, they can always arrange a holiday for themselves.

Women with different eye colors are always looking for their unique and unique. And only with him will they be wise and wonderful housewives, creating such comfort and coziness in the house that her husband can only be envied. But at the same time, these women will never forget to carefully monitor their appearance.

In such ladies, nature has an addiction to alcohol. But by virtue of their wisdom, they will easily defeat this craving. But if they try to smoke, they are unlikely to be able to quit.

When dealing with people with different eye colors, do not forget that they are very capricious and stubborn. It is unlikely that you will be able to emerge victorious in a dispute with them. They can even be rude in their desire to prove their case.

In dealing with such people, it is necessary to choose words carefully. They forgive quickly, but the resentment persists for a long time.

Heterochromia should not be taken as a disease or mutation. Different eye color does not affect health in any way. A person with heterochromia perceives the colors of the world around him absolutely normally and sees like an ordinary person.

Interesting and understandable: a person with different eye colors

First of all, it should be noted that such a phenomenon occurs in the animal world an order of magnitude more often than in the human world. For example, among cats of the Persian breed, a different eye color is considered a very common feature (usually one is bright orange, and the other is blue, which looks very unusual). A person with different eye colors can rightfully be proud of his peculiarity, because according to research, the nature of such individuals is unpredictable and impulsiveness. Often such people are fearless, like to surprise, impress. Among the shortcomings, a hypertrophied Ego can be noted: “Odd-eyed” are often fixated on themselves. They simply cannot live if others do not pay enough attention to their person. If your new acquaintance is a person with different eye colors, you can be sure that he loves loneliness and prefers to spend his free time in a narrow circle of close friends. Perhaps from the outside he looks stubborn and capricious, but as soon as you get to know him better, then make sure that this is not at all the case.

Women with different colored eyes

According to statistical studies, girls with eyes of different colors tend to be overweight. However, this does not prevent them from treating themselves with reverence: "odd-eyed" people love themselves and are determined to get the most out of life. They love holidays and entertainment and will never miss the opportunity to "shine". Another positive quality they have is patience. A woman with multi-colored eyes, most likely, will not complain about life for a long and tedious time; she would rather do anything to resolve an unpleasant situation. Most of them are creative people. Everything they put their hand to bears fruit. They sing, dance, draw, sew, knit - in all such areas, "odd-eyed" will succeed.

Marriage

A person with different eye colors is likely to be fickle in love. However, this only lasts until he meets his other half. Once this happens, your acquaintance will change so drastically that it will be difficult to recognize him. From now on, he will live only for the sake of his beloved being and will do everything to surround him with care and attention, to make his life as comfortable as possible.

Relationship with parents

If a child has eyes of different colors, you can rejoice: according to statistics, people with different colored eyes treat their parents very warmly, never conflict with them, and enjoy spending time with their families. They are touchy, but forgive easily and never harbor a grudge.

Causes of the phenomenon

Probably, every person with a different eye color wants to know about the reasons for his “feature”. By and large, there are two of them: the phenomenon can be congenital (and explained by genetics) and acquired (this indicates changes occurring in the body, most often unhealthy).

heterochrony

Any ophthalmologist will answer the question about the name of a different eye color: heterochrony. In most cases, it is caused by an excess or lack of melanin and accompanies diseases such as glaucoma or even a benign tumor. In addition, a change in eye pigmentation may be a reaction to medications.

Why do people have two different colored eyes?

I have seen people who have one eye green and the other yellow green, etc. why does this happen??

Leka

Heterochromia of the iris (heterochromia; hetero- + Greek chroma color, color; syn. heterophthalmos) - a different color of the iris of the right and left eyes or an uneven color of different parts of the iris of one eye.
People with eyes of different colors are called mosaics.
The different color is explained by the mutation of the embryo after fertilization of the egg. That is, a mutation in the blastula even before the formation of the endoderm. The earlier the mutation occurs, the brighter it manifests itself in appearance.
The owner of eyes of different colors has nothing to be afraid of - this does not mean any disease. It's just a game of nature. In some people and animals, although this phenomenon is quite rare, there are eyes of different colors. Despite the apparent asymmetry of the face caused by different eye colors, such animals and people may have features that distinguish them from other individuals, but with eyes of the same color.
It has recently been noticed that humans and animals with this multi-colored iris combination have some kind of "magical power" to attract the opposite sex of their species to them. For example, "odd-eyed" cats very easily achieve the attention of the person they are interested in. As for people, many who are familiar with odd-eyed people noted that they have some kind of "zest" and charm.
So, those who were born with multi-colored eyes should not despair, but use their natural external charm for their own purposes in order to achieve success in business and in their personal lives.
Here's a concrete example - David Bowie.

What if a person has different eyes?

*Kisunya*

"Heterochromia of the iris (heterochromia; hetero- + Greek chroma color, color; syn. heterophthalmos) - a different color of the iris of the right and left eyes or an uneven color of different parts of the iris of one eye. People whose eyes are of different colors are called mosaics.

It is the result of a relative excess or deficiency of melanin (pigment). Partial or sectoral heterochromia is less common than complete heterochromia, less than 4:1,000,000.

The different color is explained by the mutation of the embryo after fertilization of the egg. That is, a mutation in the blastula even before the formation of the endoderm. The earlier the mutation occurs, the brighter it manifests itself in appearance. The owner of eyes of different colors has nothing to be afraid of - this does not mean any disease. It's just a game of nature. In some people and animals, although this phenomenon is quite rare, there are eyes of different colors. Despite the apparent asymmetry of the face caused by different eye colors, such animals and people may have features that distinguish them from other individuals, but with eyes of the same color. For example, it has been noticed that "odd-eyed" cats very easily achieve the attention of the person they are interested in. As for people, many who are familiar with odd-eyed people noted that they have some kind of “zest” and charm.