Your eye color is a key part of your appearance and identity. Poets over the ages have exclaimed that the eye is a window to the soul and even today, this is true. Your eye color says a lot about your ancestry, your health and even your personal style. Rare eye colors like green, gray or red instantly capture attention due the fact that they occur naturally in only a small fraction of the population. Continue reading to find out more about the features of the rarest eye colors and the factors that influence their occurrence.
The Rarest Eye Colors
Green
Green is a rare eye color appearing only in 2% of the world population. Green eyes have lower levels of melanin and a yellowish pigment called lipochrome that combined gives the iris a green color.
Red
Red eyes are extremely rare and occur due to low levels of melanin in the iris. Albinism, a genetic condition that causes low melanin, can make the eyes appear red as the blood vessels in their retina show through the light colored iris.
Grey
Gray eyes have less melanin in the front layer of the iris than the back layer. The color could also be caused by light scattering off the collagen or fibers in the stroma, making the eyes appear gray.
Factors that Determine Your Eye Color
Your Genetics
Genetics are a crucial factor that determine your eye color and this explains why children sometimes inherit their eye color from their parents. But genes don’t always work the way you expect them to, in fact they are so complex that scientists are still trying to figure out exactly how they work. Up until now, scientists have identified around 16 different genes that contribute to eye color by influencing the production of melanin.
Melanin
Melanin is what gives the eye its pigmentation. Almost all individuals have melanin on the back layer of their iris. If you don't have melanin on the front layer, this will give your eyes a light appearance whereas if you do have melanin on the front layer, your eyes will appear darker.
Medical Conditions, Health or Injury
Various medical conditions can also affect your eye color. Eye injuries, eye inflammation, medications and conditions like Horner’s Syndrome are some factors that can change your eye color.
How to Change Your Eye Color Temporarily
The safest and quickest way to change your eye color is by using colored contact lenses. Colored contacts come in a range of natural and unique shades. Soft contact lenses are usually made of silicone hydrogels and many of them have moisture-enhancing formulas that make them comfortable for all-day wear. At adasat.com , we offer a wide range of incredible colored contact lenses from popular brands like Bella, Freshlook and Anesthesia, allowing you to purchase your perfect pair from the comfort of your own home!
Even if you have dark eyes, you can still sport rare eye colors using our collection of opaque color lenses. Read our blog post on colored contacts for dark eyes to learn more.
Can You Change Your Eye Color Permanently?
No, as of now, there is no safe way to change your eye color permanently. While there are iris implant surgeries carried out in certain countries, the complications associated with these procedures make them less than ideal. We recommend that you choose temporary methods of eye color modification such as colored contact lenses instead.