In the past, scientists consulted a much more simplistic model to predict eye color through heredity, but further study has proven that the genetics of eye color are quite complex. Research has identified around 16 genes that can influence eye color, though there are two located on chromosome 15 that seem to have the most pronounced effect. These genes impact the amount and distribution of melanin in your eyes, resulting in a wide variety of possible shades. Has anyone ever told you that you have your mom or dad’s eyes? Well, they’re partially correct! Everyone inherits genes from their parents that influence eye color. In other words, more melanin = darker eyes.įun fact: You could technically say that almost everyone has brown eyes because even eyes that appear sky blue tend to have brown pigment on the back layer of the iris. On the other hand, eyes with no melanin on the front layer of the iris have a lighter appearance because they have less pigmentation. If you have melanin on both the back and front layers of your iris, that causes your eyes to look brown. blue) are due to the amount of melanin-a brown pigment-present in the eye. Melaninĭifferences in eye color (e.g., brown vs.

Genetics and melanin are the two key components that help determine a person’s eye color. But before all that, we’ll look at what determines eye color in the first place. In this article, we’ll discuss the rarest eye colors, how eye color percentages break down across the population, and how specific health conditions can affect the color of your eyes.

Many factors can influence eye color, including genetics and even certain medical conditions. The rarest eye color in the world is likely violet or red-and yes, those colors can occur without the help of contacts.

Yellow eyeballs