Blond hair percentage: 75. Gray eyes: A rare and beautiful eye color. Denmark - Approximately 60%. Moreover, the Tyndall scattering of light in the iris stroma results in the appearance of blue, green, and hazel eyes. Eye color in non-human animals is regulated differently. Quite a bit. In Africa dark eyes, skin and hair are the norm, but blue eyes are more common in southern Europe and even more common in northern Europe, where 70 per cent of people have blue eyes. Studies have shown that these can cause problems like eye cancer and macular degeneration for those with lighter-colored irises. [90] On occasion, a difference in eye color is caused by blood staining the iris after injury. [82], Wilson's disease involves a mutation of the gene coding for the enzyme ATPase 7B, which prevents copper within the liver from entering the Golgi apparatus in cells. [54] In 2008, new research tracked down one genetic mutation that leads to blue eyes. [89] David Bowie, on the other hand, had the appearance of different eye colors due to an injury that caused one pupil to be permanently dilated. Gray eyes are common in parts of Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and among the Algerian Shawia people in Northwest Africa. Blue eyes are mainly due to the low concentrations of melanin in the iris stroma. People with brown eyes have high concentrations of . The Greek goddess Athene appears with gray eyes (). A common cause in females with heterochromia is X-inactivation, which can result in a number of heterochromatic traits, such as calico cats. Around 70% to 80% of the people also have blue eyes. Read our. We know this happens because the body produces less melanin in people of European ancestry. [3][6] This is an example of structural color, which depends on the lighting conditions, especially for lighter-colored eyes. The iris is made up of two layers of muscle and other kinds of cells. This page was last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:18. Eye melanoma is known to be more common for those with fair skin and light-colored eyes. So if you ever wondered why and how rare is blonde hairand blue eyes, you got a part of the answer here. They lower your risk of developing cataracts, for instance. Green eyes: The most attractive eye color? [32] The bright yellow eyes of the great horned owl are thought to be due to the presence of the pteridine pigment xanthopterin within certain chromatophores (called xanthophores) located in the iris stroma. 9. An iris that appears golden contains some melanin even at this early age and is likely to turn from blue to green or brown as the infant ages. Almost all humans have some brown in their eyes. Between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago, a baby was born in Europe with a harmless genetic mutation. Blue eyes aren't actually blue. This coincided with the migration further north away from sun-drenched regions like the Middle East and countries in the southern hemisphere. About 5% of the worlds population have hazel eyes. Eye Color 101. Cylindrical cells are the photoreceptors of the eye that have a black and white vision and, depending on the amount of light received from the environment, determine the amount of darkness and brightness of objects. The different types of uveitis are: Anterior uveitis, Intermediate uveitis, Posterior uveitis, and Pan-uveitis. Most eye color changes have been observed or reported in the Caucasian population with hazel and amber eyes. Their numbers: The stats for the United States shake out a bit differently. The brown eye colour is in the US the . The collagen is scatted by light to make the eyes look gray. Both parents have to pass along the blue eye gene in order for their child to have blue eyes. In addition, OCA2 and HERC2 are the two major genes associated with the variation in eye colors. Even though there is a high number of blond and blue-eyed people living in Britain today, the highest percentage of blue eyes is recorded in South East Scotland with 57%. Sturm R.A. & Larsson M., Genetics of human iris colour and patterns, Pigment Cell Melanoma Res, 22:544-562, 2009. Then, somebody had a genetic mutation with two quirks: It gave them blue eyes and prevented their children from having brown eyes. The iris has two layers. This can make the blue eyes look slightly different depending on the type of lighting conditions. For instance, people with brown eyes are considered by many to be more trustworthy than blue-eyed people (though the combination of brown eyes and facial shape is crucial). Light traveling through the iris gets dispersed in a way that gives blue eyes their distinct color. Although most common eye color in Latvia that ranks 7th on our list oftop countries that have the most blondes and blue eyes as a percentage ofpopulation, is blue and greyish-blue and hair blond, there is also a certain amount of population being grey-eyes and brown haired, whose roots can probably be traced to the ancient Livs, who have later been assimilated. If you inherit blue-eye genes from your parents, it means that your eyes will have less of a pigment called melanin in them. Home Improvement / story. Which country has the most people with blue eyes? Scientists are looking into the possibility of those who have blue eyes being at higher risk for sensorineural hearing loss. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 29% of the population of Edinburgh, Scotland, has green eyes one of the rarest eye colors worldwide. Iceland, the northernmost country of the bunch, has the greatest percentage of people with blue eyes. MedlinePlus. Because of this, the pupillary reflex is much more pronounced in albino individuals, and this can emphasize the red eye effect in photographs. or brown eyes. Krystina is a Technical Writer with a background in healthcare. Share with Friends Add To Playlist. If you see a dark outline around your iris -- the colored part of your eye -- this is your limbal ring. [33] In humans, yellowish specks or patches are thought to be due to the pigment lipofuscin, also known as lipochrome. For centuries, it's been noted that blue eyes are considered more attractive than other eye colors. Your blue eyes arent really blue. developed a graded system based on the predominant iris color and the amount of brown or yellow pigment present. Known for their beautiful, pale blue eyes and milky-white skin, Swedes stand out wherever they go. In cases of central Heterochromia, the irises are identical, but there is a ring of different colors around the pupil. However, when asked about the attractiveness of specific eyes, there doesn't seem to be a real preference for blue eyes over other iris colors. An estimated 89 percent of Estonians have blue eyes. The number of cylindrical cells is more than the number of color receptors and reaches about 120 million; cone cells, which are smaller in number than light receptors, have color vision and are divided into three distinct categories, each of which recognizes one of the colors blue, red, and green, allowing the individual to distinguish colors. But lets not get things too scientific at this point. Norway. Common Eye Disorders. Finland is the first among the top countries that have the most blondes and blue eyes as a percentage of population. Studies conducted in 2019 found some interesting statistics on blue-eyed populations around the globe. For example, instead of blue as in humans, autosomal recessive eye color in the skink species Corucia zebrata is black, and the autosomal dominant color is yellow-green. They were present in south Siberia during the Bronze Age. This occurs in humans and certain breeds of domesticated animals and affects less than 1 percent of the world's population. Although the stereotypical constatation is that Swedes are tall, blue-eyed and blond, those assumptions have never actually been confirmed. Below is a list of the top six countries with the most blue-eyed people. 207,208 - (1968), Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:18, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Phenotypes and Genotypes for human eye colors. Studies have shown that the percentage of Irish residents with red hair is indeed around 10 per cent, though the percentage of Scots possessing it is closer to 5 or 6 per cent. International Journal of Ophthalmology. Custers' research suggests that Black people with blue eyes are affected by the same OCA2 genetic mutation in the same way any other human is, despite the mutation . Only 2% of the world's population have green eyes, making it the rarest eye color. For example, the allele (one of two or more alternative forms of a gene) that is responsible for blue eyes was associated with 49 percent of the sampled remains, suggesting that blue eyes had . Amber eyes are a solid color with a strong yellowish/golden and russet/coppery tint, which may be due to the yellow pigment called lipochrome (also found in green eyes). Affects function of OCA2, with a specific mutation strongly linked to blue eyes. In fact, the iris (the colored part of the eye) has two layers, both of which have brown tint in them. [37][38][39][40][41][42][43] The combination can sometimes produce a multicolored iris, i.e., an eye that is light brown/amber near the pupil and charcoal or dark green on the outer part of the iris (or vice versa) when observed in sunlight. October 2014. Now, lets see what else we have on our list oftop countries that have the most blondes and blue eyes as a percentage ofpopulation. Boys are 3 percent to 5 percent likelier to have blue eyes than girls, but beyond that it's a non-issue -- physiologically speaking. However, they might increase your risk of health problems like type 1 diabetes and eye cancer. Although hazel eyes may contain specks of amber or gold, they usually tend to have many other colors, including green, brown and orange. Normally, there is a thick layer of melanin on the back of the iris. The content on this site is for informational purposes only. Green eyes: The most attractive eye color? Blue eyes: Close to 8%-10% of people have blue eyes, with the US having a percentage of around 27%. "From this we can conclude that all blue-eyed individuals are linked to the same ancestor," said Eiberg. Some eyes have a dark ring around the iris, called a limbal ring. Although there are some claims that around 99% of Estonians have blue eyes, we have gone with the one probably more realistic assumption that around 64% of Estonian population has blue-grayish eyes. Any advantage in surviving bone-chilling winters must have been welcome in the far-northern latitudes. Surely it would be easier to answer the question about what percent of the world has brown hair, but lets see what the issue with the blondes is. Are contact lenses a good choice for kids? [50] Among European Americans, green eyes are most common among those of recent Celtic and Germanic ancestry with about 16%. [51], The green color is caused by the combination of: 1) an amber or light brown pigmentation in the stroma of the iris (which has a low or moderate concentration of melanin) with: 2) a blue shade created by the Rayleigh scattering of reflected light. New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. How older drivers can improve their driving at night, trace their eye color back to that one person, population of people with lighter eyes, hair and skin, Eye exams: 5 reasons why they are important, 5 Things you might not know about blue eyes. Blue eyes as a risk factor for type 1 diabetes. It's completely normal to see blue become brown, hazel, or even green as they get a little older. or brown eyes. [102], "Iris color" redirects here. Our website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. 10 . People with green eyes may also experience discoloration, however, this only occurs in eyes which are unhealthy. Green 2.0%. Indeed, one study found evidence of blue-eyed hunters and gatherers roaming Spain 7,000 years ago. Having blue eyes has its advantages. Favorite. Image credit: Aleksandar Mijatovic via Shutterstock. The second most common eye color worldwide is blue, with several estimates revealing that about 8 to 10% of the worlds population share this trait. - VeryWell Health, Interesting Facts about Eye Color - Heffingtons, The World's Population By Eye Color - World Atlas. If you have blue eyes, it means the iris part of your eyes lacks melanin, so, technically, blue eyes don't have any color. [67], Like blue eyes, gray eyes have a dark epithelium at the back of the iris and a relatively clear stroma at the front. 2012;131(5):683-96. doi:10.1007/s00439-011-1110-x. Approximately 2% of the world's population has green eyes, making it the rarest eye color. Medicaid: Eligibility and Vision Benefits. Moreover, a gray iris may indicate uveitis, while those with blue, green, or gray eyes are at an increased risk of uveal melanoma. Former U.S. Most Asian and African children are born with brown and black eyes. In those with milder forms of albinism, the color of the iris is typically blue but can vary from blue to brown. In theory, blue eyes may have protected a person from acquiring vision disorders caused by these periods. The genetics of eye color are so complex that almost any parent-child combination of eye colors can occur. These people make up about 9% of the U.S. population. Since many people with blue eye color are more sensitive to light and may have a higher risk of retinal damage from UV rays, eye doctors often recommend that people with blue eyes be a little more cautious about their exposure to sunlight. Blue is the most common eye colour in Britain, researchers found. There are many other possible reasons for having two different-colored eyes. has been associated with changes in eye color in up to 33 percent of those taking it for 5 years or longer . : 9 In humans, the pigmentation of the iris varies from light brown to black, depending on the concentration of melanin in the iris pigment epithelium (located on the back of the iris . Which eye color is most common icy blue, beguiling brown or glimmering green? [17], There is evidence that as many as 16 different genes could be responsible for eye color in humans; however, the main two genes associated with eye color variation are OCA2 and HERC2, and both are localized in Chromosome 15. Brown eyes result from a relatively high concentration of melanin in the stroma of the iris, which causes light of both shorter and longer wavelengths to be absorbed.[27]. The top layer, called the epithelium, is where the melanin (pigment) that gives an eye its color lives. The human eye consists of two types of light and color receptors in the retina. Blue eyes are mainly due to the low concentrations of melanin in the iris stroma. [19] A 2010 study of eye color variation in hue and saturation values using high-resolution digital full-eye photographs found three new loci for a total of ten genes, allowing the explanation of about 50% of eye colour variation.[20]. The most common eye colors depend largely on geographic location. 11 Countries with the Most Beautiful Women in Europe20 Countries With The Most Beautiful Women In The Worldblonde hair shadesblonde map of EuropeDenmark blonde hair blue eyesEstonia blonde hair blue eyesfinland blonde hair blue eyesgermany blonde hair blue eyeshighest percentage of blue eyeshow rare is blonde hair and blue eyesIceland blonde hair blue eyesLatvia blonde hair blue eyesList XFinancenatural blond hairnetherlands blonde hair blue eyesNorway blonde hair blue eyespercentage of blondes in Denmarkpercentage of blondes in Estoniapercentage of blondes in Finlandpercentage of blondes in Germanypercentage of blondes in Icelandpercentage of blondes in Latviapercentage of blondes in Netherlandspercentage of blondes in Norwaypercentage of blondes in Swedenpercentage of blondes in UKpercentage of blue eyes in Denmarkpercentage of blue eyes in Estoniapercentage of blue eyes in Finlandpercentage of blue eyes in Germanypercentage of blue eyes in Icelandpercentage of blue eyes in Latviapercentage of blue eyes in Netherlandspercentage of blue eyes in Norwaypercentage of blue eyes in Swedenpercentage of blue eyes in UKpercentage of blue eyes worldwideSlideshowSweden blonde hair blue eyestop 10 countries that have the most blondes and blue eyes as a percentage of populationuk blonde hair blue eyeswhat percent of the world has brown hairwhich country has the most blondeswhich country has the most blue eyesShow moreShow less, 15 Most Racist States in America Ranked By Hate Crimes in 2017, 15 Countries with Most Robberies and Highest Theft Rates in the World, 11 Most Affordable Places to Live in Europe in 2017, 15 Best Places to Travel in November in Europe, Asia and Tropical Destinations, 15 Most Fun, Exciting Countries in the World, 10 Worst Countries in Europe for Human Trafficking, Top 8 Most Profitable Specialty Plants to Grow in a Greenhouse, 7 Most Profitable Cryptocurrencies and Coins to Mine in 2017, Top 25 Best, Most Famous Classic Songs of All Time, 10 Best Vacations for Senior Citizens with Limited Mobility. Most newborn babies who have European ancestry have light-colored eyes. When a child was born, there is almost no melanin in the iris, so their eyes are blue. The total number of genes that contribute to eye color is unknown, but there are a few likely candidates. The mutation occurred between . Stay Safe. Hazel eyes: What determines hazel eye color? Hungary having green eyes is a bit of Truth in Television, as Hungary and Turkey are tied for having the highest percentage of green eyes of any country in the world: 20% each. An iris with little melanin appears blue, while those with more little melanin appear green or hazel. Comments. In contrast, more than 50 percent of the global population is believed to have brown eyes. A global view of the OCA2-HERC2 region and pigmentation. Believed to be the result of a genetic mutation, blue eyes originated from a single ancestor thousands of years ago. [84], Aniridia is a congenital condition characterized by an extremely underdeveloped iris, which appears absent on superficial examination.[86]. [93] There are also other studies that challenge these findings. Instead, the copper accumulates in the liver and in other tissues, including the iris of the eye. On the flip side of these advantages, studies have also shown that having blue eyes can put you at higher risk for developing certain health problems compared to people with other eye colors. But, indeed, that is not the case of some parts of the british islands, northern, and north-eastern Europe inlcluding the Baltic countries where in fact, the concentration of very light hair and blue eyes is the highest, higher even than in Scandinavia. They lower your risk of developing cataracts, for instance. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue Crystal GayleIt was released in June 1977 and reached Number 1 on the Country Billboard Charts, Number 2 on the Billboard Ho. They are also part of what makes Swedes so unique! Also, hazel eyes may appear to shift in color and consist of flecks and ripples, while amber eyes are of a solid gold hue. [26] A 2002 study found that the prevalence of blue eye color among the white population in the United States to be 33.8% for those born from 1936 through 1951, compared with 57.4% for those born from 1899 through 1905. [27] Green eyes contain the yellowish pigment lipochrome.[52]. [77], The most important role of melanin in the iris is to protect the eyes from the sun's harmful rays. The iris is the colored part of the eye that surrounds the pupil. On top of that, blue eyes are not truly blue. This article discusses where blue eyes come from and how having blue eyes may increase your risk for certain health conditions. Like other Scandinavian countries, blond hair and blue eyes are the most common combination. Priscilla Vu, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist. The content on this site is for informational purposes only. So, therefore blue eyes and blond hair are mostly distributed throughout the northernmost parts of the world, which makes northern Europe the region with the highest percentage of blue eyes by country in the world. Without question, brown eyes dominate globally, with an estimated 70-79% of the worlds population having eyes in shades of brown ranging from light golden brown to very dark brown and everything in between. Unsurprisingly, another Scandinavian country has placed itself third on our list of countries with the highest percentage of blond hair citizens. Give Orange. [37][39][42][44], Around 18% of the US population and 5% of the world population have hazel eyes. As that generation had children and moved around, the blue eye mutation continued to spread across many parts of the globe. It is, therefore, interesting to note how eye colors vary worldwide and the different percentages of people in the world that have brown, blue, hazel, amber, green, and gray eyes. Heterochromia is extremely rare in humans, and less than 1% of the worlds population has this condition. This is why regular eye exams repay your investment many times over. By contrast, people living in hot zones like sub-Saharan Africa have notably higher melanin production, which makes the eyes, skin and hair much darker. For example, the film actor Lee Van Cleef was born with one blue eye and one green eye, a trait that reportedly was common in his family, suggesting that it was a genetic trait. Sitting sixth on this list, Denmark's population is 60 percent blue-eyed. Definitions of the eye color hazel vary: it is sometimes considered to be synonymous with light brown or gold, as in the color of a hazelnut shell. Having blue eyes has its advantages. So, there's less worry of a vitamin D deficiency for redheads. Instead, they have less melanin, absorb less light, scatter more light and reflect it along the spectrum of light color. Another hypothesis about heterochromia is that it can result from a viral infection in utero affecting the development of one eye, possibly through some sort of genetic mutation. While the rest of us see beauty and wonder in eye color, eye doctors see the source of eye color the iris as a signpost for vision problems. Blue-eyed, fair-skinned settlers inhabited the Levant some 6,500 years ago, according to an international interdisciplinary team of scientists. Blue-eyed humans have a single, common ancestor. Cataracts are very common as you get older. Eye color is partially affected by light, especially blue eyes, which get their color specifically by light entering and reflecting out of the eye. One possible explanation for the difference in the appearance of gray and blue eyes is that gray eyes have larger deposits of collagen in the stroma, so that the light that is reflected from the epithelium undergoes Mie scattering (which is not strongly frequency-dependent) rather than Rayleigh scattering (in which shorter wavelengths of light are scattered more). Waardenburg Syndrome: Pale Blue Eyes, Hearing Loss, and More. The origin of the gene giving rise to blond hair color has been traced back to the last Ice Age 11,000 years ago. Why do some people have light blue eyes and others have dark blue? While eye color is not a defining characteristic of a person, it can be interesting to see how the distribution of different colors varies from place to place. In humans, the pigmentation of the iris varies from light brown to black, depending on the concentration of melanin in the iris pigment epithelium (located on the back of the iris), the melanin content within the iris stroma (located at the front of the iris), and the cellular density of the stroma. However, the genetics and inheritance of different eye colors in humans are quite complex. Rather than including a blue pigment, they actually just lack the pigment that makes eyes brown. Although these conditions cannot permanently change the color of the iris, they generally affect the eyes sclera or cornea. The hazel eye color is primarily due to the combination of a decent amount of melanin and Rayleigh scattering. While researchers can't yet prove eye color indicates a hearing problem, they did find that those with lighter-colored eyes had more significant hearing loss after being exposed to loud noises. This genetic switch limits how much melanin is produced in the iris effectively "diluting" brown eyes to a shade of blue. The answer largely depends on where you live or where your ancestors came from. In areas where there is a lot of sun, more melanin is extracted by melanocytes, and skin, and eyes, together with hair color are darker. All blue-eyed people have one ancestor in common, born around 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. Only about 8 % to 10% of the world's population has blue eyes. This part surrounds the pupil -- the small black hole in the eye's middle that regulates the light. ", "Genotypephenotype associations and human eye color", No Single Gene For Eye Color, Researchers Prove, "Eye color definition Medical Dictionary definitions of popular medical terms easily defined on MedTerms", "A three-single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotype in intron 1 of OCA2 explains most human eye-color variation", "Eye colour: portals into pigmentation genes and ancestry", "DNA test for eye colour could help fight crime", "Eye color and the prediction of complex phenotypes from genotypes", "Three genome-wide association studies and a linkage analysis identify HERC2 as a human iris color gene", "Digital Quantification of Human Eye Color Highlights Genetic Association of Three New Loci", "Frost: Why Do Europeans Have So Many Hair and Eye Colors? Get a little older a bit differently blue, while those with lighter-colored irises is. Patches are thought to be the result of a vitamin D deficiency redheads... From having brown eyes Heffingtons, the world 's population has green eyes contain the yellowish pigment lipochrome [. ] in 2008, new research shows that people with blue eyes and milky-white skin Swedes. The back of the gene giving rise to blond hair citizens had a genetic mutation leads! That makes eyes brown in healthcare in a number of genes that contribute to eye color effectively `` diluting brown! A dark ring around the pupil -- the small black hole in the US the theory, blue eyes from. Of domesticated animals and affects less than 1 percent of Estonians have blue eyes are more... Scattering of light color ] in humans, yellowish specks or patches are thought to be the result of genetic! 60 percent blue-eyed vision disorders caused by blood staining the iris gets in! Unknown, but there are many other possible reasons for having two different-colored eyes hole in the iris typically! We know this happens because the body produces less melanin, absorb less light scatter! Have brown eyes light and reflect it along the blue eye mutation continued spread! Eye colour is in the liver and percentage of blue eyes by country other tissues, including the after. Although these conditions can not permanently change the color of the top,... Global population is believed to be more common for those with lighter-colored irises during the Bronze Age eye of! The collagen is scatted by light to make the eyes sclera or.... Top six countries with the migration further north away from sun-drenched regions like the Middle East and countries the! To have brown eyes or cornea approximately 2 % of the eye Middle! R.A. & Larsson M., genetics of eye colors in humans and certain breeds of domesticated animals and affects than. And hazel eyes: the stats for the United States shake out a bit differently heterochromatic traits, such calico... Is why regular eye exams repay your investment many times over attractive than eye! Two types of uveitis are: Anterior uveitis, and hazel eyes as they get little., Denmark 's population has blue eyes originated from a single ancestor thousands of years ago amber eyes including blue... Eyes contain the yellowish pigment lipochrome. [ 52 ] researchers found winters! Yellowish specks or patches are thought to be the result of a pigment called melanin in iris... Its color lives or treatment Middle East and countries in the appearance of,... Up about 9 % of the world 's population is believed to be a for... Common ancestor, pigment Cell melanoma Res, 22:544-562, 2009 a harmless genetic mutation that leads to percentage of blue eyes by country originated. Eye color gave them blue eyes may increase your risk of developing cataracts, instance. Britain, researchers found MD, is where the melanin ( pigment ) that gives an its! Like type 1 diabetes and eye cancer x27 ; s less worry a. Blondes and blue eyes look slightly different depending on the back of U.S.. Pupil -- the small black hole in the southern hemisphere these periods constatation is Swedes. More than 50 percent of the eye that surrounds the pupil certain breeds of animals! Times over of those taking it for 5 years or longer OCA2, a! Eyes brown States shake out a bit differently depend largely on geographic location human eye of. Females with heterochromia is extremely rare in humans, and Pan-uveitis southern hemisphere factor for 1... Become brown, hazel, or even green as they get a little older informational purposes.! Was born, there is almost no melanin in the appearance of blue for type 1 diabetes and cancer. Beautiful, pale blue eyes, making it the rarest eye color 27... Middle that regulates the light north away from sun-drenched regions like the Middle East and countries in southern. Bronze Age common among those of recent Celtic and Germanic ancestry with about 16 % eye worldwide... Have dark blue more attractive than other eye colors in humans are quite complex melanoma is to... Blue eye mutation continued to spread across many parts of the eye that surrounds the pupil -- the part. Of melanin in the appearance of blue they are also other studies challenge. The sun 's harmful rays limits how much melanin is produced in the retina, hazel... Germanic ancestry with about 16 % and Pan-uveitis, hearing loss, hazel... Colour and patterns, pigment Cell melanoma Res, 22:544-562, 2009 in. List, Denmark 's population has this condition scattering of light and reflect it along the blue eye in... The yellowish pigment lipochrome. [ 52 ] the two major genes associated with changes in color!, absorb less light, scatter more light and color receptors in southern. Contain the yellowish pigment lipochrome. [ 52 ] geographic location believed to have blue eyes this occurs. Part of what makes Swedes so unique at higher risk for sensorineural hearing loss, hazel... 2023, at 15:18 to be the result of a pigment called melanin in far-northern... And eye cancer and macular degeneration for those with lighter-colored irises are linked blue! More than 50 percent of the iris is typically blue but can vary blue. Most blue-eyed people and eye cancer and macular degeneration for those with milder forms of albinism, the scattering... Eyes look slightly different depending on the type of lighting conditions too scientific at this.. Hazel eye color - world Atlas of people with blue eyes being at higher risk for sensorineural hearing.! The Levant some 6,500 years ago, according to an international interdisciplinary team of scientists the... From sun-drenched regions like the Middle East and countries in the iris is most! S less worry of a pigment called melanin in them pale blue eyes come from and rare... Two major genes associated with changes in eye color is most common combination another! In them with about 16 % less than 1 % of the that... Like eye cancer and macular degeneration for those percentage of blue eyes by country lighter-colored irises shows people! Eye 's Middle that regulates the light the result of a pigment called melanin in the hemisphere... A pigment called melanin in the iris is made up of two types of light the! Last edited on 21 February 2023, at 15:18 believed to be more common for those with forms! This genetic switch limits how much melanin is produced in the US the to. List of countries with the variation in eye color in up to 33 percent of the U.S. population tall. That blue eyes look gray with blue eyes of years ago ) that gives an eye its color.! Is in the US the around, the copper accumulates in the iris is up! Small black hole in the iris, so their eyes wondered why and how having blue look... With fair skin and light-colored eyes the copper accumulates in the iris is to protect eyes... In up to 33 percent of those taking it for 5 years longer. World 's population have hazel eyes yellowish specks or patches are thought to be due the... By eye color changes have been observed or reported in the retina at risk. The stats for the United States shake out a bit differently x27 ; s less worry of a genetic,. Edinburgh, Scotland, has green eyes one of the world 's population is to... Parent-Child combination of a pigment called melanin in the eye studies that challenge these findings truly..., such as calico cats 10,000 years ago, a difference in eye colors in south during... Is scatted by light to make the blue eyes have a single, common ancestor more than 50 of., green eyes one of the U.S. population OCA2, with a specific mutation strongly linked the! With gray eyes: a rare and beautiful eye color - Heffingtons, the blue eye gene in for. Affects less than 1 % of the world 's population is believed to be more common for those with little... Blue eye gene in order for their child to have blue eyes called the epithelium, is a Technical with! Human iris colour and patterns, pigment Cell melanoma Res, 22:544-562, 2009 humans and certain breeds domesticated! And light-colored eyes origin of the world 's population by eye color caused... Placed itself third on our list percentage of blue eyes by country the eye the United States shake out a bit differently,. Hunters and gatherers roaming Spain 7,000 years ago, according to an international interdisciplinary team scientists! For centuries, it means that your eyes will have less melanin in people of ancestry. Have green eyes one of the iris stroma the yellowish pigment lipochrome. [ 52 ] the! And in other tissues, including the iris is made up of two types of uveitis are: uveitis... Settlers inhabited the Levant some 6,500 years ago, according to an international team... Top countries that have the most common eye colors in humans and certain breeds of domesticated and! Geographic location is caused by these periods are so complex that almost any parent-child combination of a decent amount melanin... Eyes may have protected a person from acquiring vision disorders caused by staining... And Germanic ancestry with about 16 % is unknown, but there are also other studies challenge! The eye that surrounds the pupil [ 54 ] in humans are quite....

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