Countless poets and artists have highlighted eye colors through their works, but science has proven that they can reveal much more than you think.
Research has shown that eye color can tell us a lot about our health and, some say, is even linked to personality traits. To find out more, we asked Roshni, an optometrist on the Lenstore team, to delve deeper into the meaning of various eye colors.
Did you know? All human eyes are actually brown
The eyes have various shades of blue, green and hazel, but these pigments are never present in the human eye. So what gives eyes their color?
It all depends on the amount of melanin present in the iris (the colored ring around the pupil). The natural color of melamine is dark brown, the same pigment that determines the color of skin and hair. The more melanin in the iris, the darker the eye color.
Eye color also depends on how light is scattered when it passes through the eye. Melanin absorbs light and prevents it from reflecting on the surface of the eye, giving rise to a darker color.
For light eyes, exactly the opposite happens. The pigments, in this case, have small amounts of melanin, so the light is reflected more by the eye. This process is called the Tyndall effect, which takes its name from a similar phenomenon that makes the sky appear blue.
Fun Fact. Blue eyes are more sensitive to light
Melanin acts as a kind of protection from the sun, filtering UV rays. Because blue eyes contain less melanin, they tend to be more sensitive to light and more susceptible to UV damage.
Research suggests that people with lighter eyes may be more at risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. Regardless of your eye color, wearing sunglasses will help protect them from the sun and preserve their health. If you wear contact lenses, UV-filtering lenses can provide additional protection.
Urban Legend: People with brown eyes have faster reaction times
Brown-eyed people have been shown to have slightly faster reaction times in sports such as boxing, football and baseball. Those with blue eyes are probably better at sports that are not too fast paced, such as bowling or golf. However, more research is needed to support these theories.
Did you know? Eye color changes with age
For most people, eye color remains unchanged from about one year of age. However, approximately 15% of the Caucasian population experiences a gradual change in eye color over the course of their lives.
A change in shade can be indicative of certain diseases, such as Horner’s syndrome or pigmentary glaucoma. Horner’s syndrome is a rare condition caused by damage to the chain of nerves responsible for dilating the pupil and lifting the eyelid. Those who develop this condition may have a lighter iris in the affected eye. Pigmented glaucoma, on the other hand, usually makes the iris appear darker. The color change is caused by the loss of pigments. Additionally, some glaucoma eye drops can also cause darkening of the eye.
As with most diseases, it is best for both conditions to be diagnosed early. That’s why it’s so important to have regular eye exams, even if you have 10/10 vision. However, if you notice drastic changes in your eye color, we recommend that you immediately visit your optician.
Urban Legend: Eye color can change with mood
Eye color does not change with mood. Irises work like camera shutters. They expand and contract to allow the pupils to grow or contract to allow for optimal vision. Much depends on the amount of light that enters the eye: the darker the room, the more the pupils dilate. This can also happen in response to certain emotions, such as fear or happiness, which can make them appear darker. Want to try a new look? The easiest and safest way to temporarily change your eye color is with colored contact lenses. Consult our guide to find the perfect contact lenses for every occasion.
Concluding remarks
Eye color can reveal a large number of things, from how susceptible we are in certain conditions to how reactive we are in sports. Although most research is based on modest case studies, these ideas have paved the way for more interesting discoveries in this area.
If you would like to try a different eye color, why not take a look at our wide range of colored contact lenses. This is your chance to revolutionize your look!