What is the rarest eye color in the world? Dr. Joseph Allen ranks nine eye-color appearances from the most common to the rarest while explaining the genetics, pigments and medical conditions that can influence how the eyes look.
On the Doctor Eye Health Podcast, discover why brown is the world’s most common eye color, why blue eyes do not contain blue pigment and what makes green, gray, amber and hazel eyes less common.
Dr. Allen explains how melanin, collagen and light scattering create different eye colors. He also explores why albinism can make eyes appear violet, pink or red and why aniridia may create the appearance of completely black eyes.
You will also learn how unusual changes in eye color may be connected to conditions such as Wilson disease. Eye-color percentages are estimates and may vary among populations and research sources.
Watch the video version of this episode - https://youtu.be/CCmioT9y594?si=iQwnDxYynhaN-LkW
What You’ll Learn
✅ How melanin, genetics and light determine your eye color
✅ Why blue eyes appear blue without containing blue pigment
✅ Which natural eye colors are the rarest in the world
✅ How albinism, aniridia and Wilson disease can affect eye appearance
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Timestamps
- 00:00 Ranking the rarest eye colors in the world
- 00:39 Brown eyes and melanin
- 01:13 How the iris creates eye color
- 02:29 Why blue eyes appear blue
- 03:46 Why hazel eyes can seem to change color
- 04:27 Amber eyes and Kayser-Fleischer rings
- 05:18 What causes gray eyes?
- 05:49 Why green eyes are so rare
- 06:24 Violet, pink and red eye appearances
- 06:40 How albinism affects eye color
- 08:00 Aniridia and the appearance of black eyes
- 08:49 What is the rarest eye color?
Key Takeaways
🔹 Brown is the most common eye color worldwide because brown eyes contain more melanin within the iris.
🔹 Blue eyes do not contain blue pigment. Their appearance results from light scattering through collagen fibers in an iris with lower levels of melanin.
🔹 Green, gray and amber eyes result from different amounts and combinations of melanin, collagen and reflected light.
🔹 Violet, pink, red or black eye appearances may be associated with conditions such as albinism or aniridia rather than a distinct natural iris pigment.
✅ Watch Next:
The Truth About Green Eyes:
https://youtube.com/shorts/PgcsOyjRYws
The Truth About Blue Eyes:
https://youtube.com/shorts/e5oGROfQs6g
Having Two Different-Colored Eyes: Heterochromia
https://youtube.com/shorts/-RTsmjDQg0Q
✅ Recommended Playlists:
How to Buy Good Glasses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVPj4om505E&list=PLzi60fSuOmPBWMT-jd7GYS6EDpv3CfK5P
Want to Try Contact Lenses?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlPyYkq3LnY&list=PLzi60fSuOmPBqiF3B2n-j2OMoH9QJClA2
The Best Dry Eye Treatments Explained:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7roXAdaEraA&list=PLzi60fSuOmPBb_s5UP26SFqAyGp92oDV9
Eye Health Products
My Top 5 Dry Eye Drops:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/list/15I8QLDA5IEVX?ref_=aipsflist
Eyelid and Eyelash Care:
https://www.amazon.com/shop/doctoreyehealth/photo/amzn1.shoppablemedia.v1.collage.da009d66-35a9-467b-b355-9e32a7477d66?ref_=aipsfphoto
Connect With Doctor Eye Health
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Sources:
https://sciencenotes.org/what-is-the-rarest-eye-color/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34426658/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30844160/
https://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/eye-color-green.htm
Photo Credits:
Herbert L. Fred, MD, Hendrik A. van Dijk, CC BY 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Judd Cahoon, 2016, James Gillman, CRA, FOPS, Project Administrator Ophthalmic Imaging Date: 7/21/2015; https://morancore.utah.edu/section-12-retina-and-vitreous/aniridia/
Brice Critser, CRA, Cindy Montague, CRA https://www.eyerounds.org/atlas/pages/Congen-Aniridia/index.htm#gsc.tab=0
⚠️ DISCLAIMER: This episode is for educational purposes only and does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you notice a new or unexplained change in your eye color or the appearance of a ring around your iris, consult an eye doctor or healthcare professional
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