The Rarest Eye Colors in the World - Eye Colors Explained
Doctor Eye Health・2 minutes read
Brown eyes are the most common due to pigment in the iris, while blue eyes result from a mutation reducing melanin production, leading to Rayleigh scattering. Various factors, such as collagen fibers and melanin types, determine eye colors like hazel, amber, gray, green, and even purple or pink in rare cases due to albinism.
Insights
- Brown eyes are the most common due to iris pigment, accounting for 55% to 79% of all eye colors.
- Purple or pink eyes, less than 1% of the population, are linked to albinism, reflecting light off the retina due to a lack of pigment.
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Recent questions
What is the most common eye color?
Brown
How do blue eyes differ from other eye colors?
Mutation reducing melanin production
What causes hazel eyes to change color?
Varying collagen fibers with different melanin types
Why do some individuals have amber eyes?
More pheomelanin, sometimes showing a copper ring
How do gray eyes differ from blue eyes?
Variation of blue eyes with more melanin
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Summary
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Eye Colors and Their Genetic Origins
- Brown eyes are the most common, accounting for 55% to 79% of all eye colors due to pigment in the iris.
- Blue eyes, making up 10% of the population, result from a mutation reducing melanin production, causing Rayleigh scattering.
- Hazel eyes, also at 10%, have varying collagen fibers with different melanin types, leading to color changes.
- Amber eyes, 5% of the population, have more pheomelanin, sometimes showing a copper ring due to Wilson's disease.
- Gray eyes, 3% of the population, are a variation of blue eyes with more melanin, toning down the blue reflection.
- Green eyes, 2% of the population, result from a unique mix of melanin types, creating a yellowish hue with Rayleigh scattering.
- Purple or pink eyes, less than 1%, are linked to albinism, where lack of pigment allows light to reflect off the retina, appearing red or violet.
