If you have ever been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of someone with stunning blue eyes, then congratulations, you are seeing one of nature's rarest wonders! [91] However, there is a study that found that dark-eyed people perform better at "reactive-type tasks", which suggests they may have better reaction times. While ocular melanomas may happen at any age, the risk goes up as you get older. In humans, this pigmentation of the iris depends on the melanin concentration in the iris pigment epithelium, it's content within the iris stroma, as well as the cellular density of the stroma. Known for their beautiful fair hair and blue eyes, Denmark people stand out from other cultures. In fact, over 80 percent of the inhabitants of Estonia . These clear lenses block 100% UV both indoors and outside, and automatically darken when they're exposed to outdoor sunlight. [93] There are also other studies that challenge these findings. The incidence of blue eyes continues to decline among American children. 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. The brown eye colour is in the US the . More than 80 percent of the inhabitants of Estonia and Scandinavian countries have blue eyes. 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. Because of this, the pupillary reflex is much more pronounced in albino individuals, and this can emphasize the red eye effect in photographs. 2. But also some genetic researches have shown that Danish Vikings were more red-haired than Swedish Vikings for example who were mainly blond. Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer -- 48 percent of female CEOs on the S&P 500 sport blonde locks. This form of hearing loss comes from damage to the inner ear or to the nerve going from the ear to the brain. It is a result of the relative excess or lack of pigment within an iris or part of an iris, which may be inherited or acquired by disease or injury. 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%. [10][11] However, OCA2 gene polymorphism, close to proximal 5' regulatory region, explains most human eye-color variation. Eye damage from UV and blue light appears to be related to your lifetime exposure to these rays, so wearing sunglasses that block 100% UV (and most blue light) should start during childhood, when possible. The genetics of eye color are so complex that almost any parent-child combination of eye colors can occur. Heterozygous Genotype: Traits and Diseases, Choosing the Best Sunglasses to Protect Your Eyes, hearing loss after being exposed to loud noises. Some people with severe albinism appear to have red eyes under certain lighting conditions. Page published on Wednesday, February 27, 2019. developed a graded system based on the predominant iris color and the amount of brown or yellow pigment present. Its been suggested that the cooler climate of northern Europe may have encouraged the rise of a population of people with lighter eyes, hair and skin. The authors note, "Despite brown eyes ranking at the bottom of our perceived attraction scale, approximately 79% of the world's population sports melanin-rich eyes. In the same way, you can get melanoma on your skin, you can also get melanoma in your eye. All blue-eyed people have one ancestor in common, born around 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. While blue eyes may be rare, they're among the most common eye colors at birth. [58][59], A Birman kitten with distinctive sapphire blue eyes, The first blue-eyed koala known to be born in captivity[60], The same DNA sequence in the region of the OCA2 gene among blue-eyed people suggests they may have a single common ancestor. MDQL won't back down. Hazel eyes are most common in the Middle East, North Africa, Brazil, and people of Spanish heritage. The brown eyes with brown hair is one of the commonest combination in most parts of Europe. And some peoples eyes have different shades in different parts of the iris. Can You Have One Blue Eye and One Brown Eye? If you see a dark outline around your iris -- the colored part of your eye -- this is your limbal ring. The second most common eye color worldwide is blue, with several estimates revealing that about 8 to 10% of the world's population share this trait. Blue eyes are also found in Central Asia, North Africa, South Asia, West Asia, and Southern Europe. Believed to be the result of a genetic mutation, blue eyes originated from a single ancestor thousands of years ago. Unlike hazel eyes, which appear to shift colors, amber eyes have a solid gold hue. Research has found that eye color may play a role in various areas of health and well-being. Give Orange. The color can be from the very pale blond (caused by a patchy, scarce distribution of pigment) to reddish "strawberry" blond or golden-brownish ("sandy") blond . It's completely normal to see blue become brown, hazel, or even green as they get a little older. Amber is the third-rarest natural eye color after green and gray, in 5% of the world's population. 27% with blue . [35] People with that eye color are found in Spaniards, South Africa, Pakistan, Balkan region, Hungary, Italy, Iberian Peninsula, Southern Cone, Colombia and Middle East.[36]. People with brown eyes have high concentrations of . The higher the melanin concentration in the iris, the darker the eye color will be. ", "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? The cultural implications are another story. Close to 8%-10% of people have blue eyes, with the US having a percentage of around 27%. Black People With Blue Eyes. [62][63][64], Approximately 8% to 10% of the global population have blue eyes. Normal eye colors range from the darkest shades of brown to the lightest tints of blue. Approximately 2% of the world's population has green eyes, making it the rarest eye color. An iris with little melanin appears blue, while those with more little melanin appear green or hazel. In Norway, an estimated 75% of the population . Home Improvement / story. Find an eyecare professional and book online in minutes! This part surrounds the pupil -- the small black hole in the eye's middle that regulates the light. From 6-36 months, cells in the iris start producing melanin and the eye color will change. Scientists are looking into the possibility of those who have blue eyes being at higher risk for sensorineural hearing loss. Vika is the story of her final year at a rural boarding school in Eastern Ukraine. 10 . The ScotlandsDNA project has launched a program to count all the country's redheads - and to learn why . 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). [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]. That's called phototoxicity. A global view of the OCA2-HERC2 region and pigmentation. [9] The earlier belief that blue eye color is a simple recessive trait has been shown to be incorrect. Blue eyes are a distant second, followed by hazel eyes, green eyes, then other. This last category includes amber eyes, gray eyes and even violet eyes. Whats the Difference Between Vitiligo and Albinism? Researchers believe there is one ancestor responsible for blue eyes that descended from the Black Sea region of southeastern Europe anywhere between 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. [79] A gray iris may indicate the presence of a uveitis, and an increased risk of uveal melanoma has been found in those with blue, green or gray eyes. [26] All About Vision and AllAboutVision.com are registered trademarks of AAV Media, LLC. Eye color as a risk factor for acquired sensorineural hearing loss: A review. Get our editors daily picks straight in your inbox! Provincia: bulletin trimestriel de la Socit de Statistique http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.01.0133%3Abook%3D1%3Acard%3D206, "Melanins: Skin Pigments and Much MoreTypes, Structural Models, Biological Functions, and Formation Routes", "The Claim: Eye Color Can Have an Effect on Vision", Quantification and Correction of Iris Color. Only about 8 % to 10% of the world's population has blue eyes. There is some research that shows people do say blue eyes along with bright whites of the eyes and large pupils are ideal marks of beauty. 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. Furnace, Boiler or Heat Pump? [29] Brown eyes are common in Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Central Asia, South Asia, West Asia, Oceania, Africa and the Americas. This is why regular eye exams repay your investment many times over. There are many other possible reasons for having two different-colored eyes. The iris is the colored part of the eye. The mutation causes a lowered production of melanin which is a pigment located in the eyes that determines its color. The content on this site is for informational purposes only. [12] A specific mutation within the HERC2 gene, a gene that regulates OCA2 expression, is partly responsible for blue eyes. Trauma and certain medications, such as some prostaglandin analogues, can also cause increased pigmentation in one eye. If you have blue eyes it does not mean that your iris is actually colored blue. Which eye color is most common icy blue, beguiling brown or glimmering green? In theory, blue eyes may have protected a person from acquiring vision disorders caused by these periods. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. or brown eyes. The total number of genes that contribute to eye color is unknown, but there are a few likely candidates. This damage will cause your vision to become blurrier and more distorteda condition called macular degeneration. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 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. Blue eye color is a recessive trait, but brown-eyed parents can still produce a blue-eyed child if both parents carry the genes for blue eyes. 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. Green eyes: The most attractive eye color? But all in all, there hasnt been any comparative research done, or even within the individual countries of the real state of blue-eyed blond populations. [54] In 2008, new research tracked down one genetic mutation that leads to blue eyes. Nothing to do with their mythical fiery temperament! According to medical science, people with light-colored eyes such as blue, green or grey have a higher risk of eye cancer. 8. They are also part of what makes Swedes so unique! Europe was the epicenter of the blue-eye gene mutation. In fact, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) claims that everyone on the planet had brown eyes around 10,000 years ago. To put that in perspective, 79% of people have brown eyes. American Academy of Ophthalmology. A team of scientists has tracked down a genetic mutation that leads to blue eyes. By Verla05. This genetic switch limits how much melanin is produced in the iris effectively "diluting" brown eyes to a shade of blue. 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. As explained by livescience.com, "a single mutation which arose as recently as . Home Improvement / story. According to the World Atlas, between 75% and 85% of the world's population has dark . By contrast, less than 1 in every 100 people in southern Europe . Sitting sixth on this list, Denmark 's population is 60 percent blue-eyed. For example, Asians typically have brown eyes, while Europeans are more likely to have eyes of blue or other lighter hues. Priscilla Vu, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist. [18] Other genes implicated in eye color variation are SLC24A4[19] and TYR. Blue eyes percentage: 50-80. Changes (lightening or darkening) of eye color during early childhood, puberty, pregnancy, and sometimes after serious trauma (like heterochromia) suggest that eyes sometimes change color under certain circumstances, due to chemical reactions or hormonal changes within the body. Around 70% to 80% of the people also have blue eyes. 9. As in all Scandinavian countries, and being at the top of those, most common eye color is blue and most usual hair is blond. Contact an eye doctor if you need medical attention. This occurs in humans and certain breeds of domesticated animals and affects less than 1 percent of the world's population. Protecting your eyes and getting regular check ups is important no matter the color of your irises. 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. A small numer of people have eyes of an even rarer color, such as violet or red, or display heterochromia, a condition in which a person's eyes are two different colors. Although these conditions cannot permanently change the color of the iris, they generally affect the eyes sclera or cornea. A person may also have more than one eye color, a condition called Heretochromia, which affects less than 1% of people. See More by this Creator. This is because - according to research - redheads are more sensitive to hot and cold pain. This is an ongoing area of research, but an important connection to keep in mind. About 93 percent of Han Chinese carry the variant, as do about 70 percent of people in Japan and Thailand, and 60 to 90 percent of American Indians, a population descended from East Asians. Sturm R.A. & Larsson M., Genetics of human iris colour and patterns, Pigment Cell Melanoma Res, 22:544-562, 2009. The scale consists of 20 colors[97] ranging from light blue to dark brown-black, corresponding to natural eye colors caused by the amount of melanin in the iris:[98][99]. 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. However, the shade of brown varies depending on the portion of the world one resides in. The collagen is scatted by light to make the eyes look gray. Blue is the second most common and brown tops the list with 45% of the U.S. population and possibly almost 80% worldwide. The color of our eyes depends on how much melanin is present in the iris. [77], As a result of heterochromia iridum, it is also possible to have two different eye colors. Red hair is . Image credit: Aleksandar Mijatovic via Shutterstock. The color of ones eye is perhaps one of the first things people observe when they see each other. 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