CAN A PERSON HAVE TWO DIFFERENT-COLOURED EYES?
Yes, a person can have eyes of two different colours. This rare and fascinating condition is known as heterochromia.
How Eye Colour Develops: The colour of our eyes is determined by the iris, the coloured part of the eye. Eye colour develops during the first few weeks after birth. It depends on the amount of a pigment called melanin present in the iris.
More melanin → darker eye colour (brown or black)
Less melanin → lighter eye colour (blue, green, or grey)
What Is Heterochromia?
Sometimes, the concentration or distribution of melanin is not the same in both eyes. When this happens, each eye may develop a different colour. This condition is called heterochromia.
Heterochromia is rare, usually harmless and often inherited from one of the parents. In most cases, it does not affect vision and requires no treatment.
Types of Heterochromia:
● Heterochromia can appear in different forms:
●Complete heterochromia – each eye is a completely different colour
●Partial (sectoral) heterochromia – one iris has two colours
●Central heterochromia – a ring of a different colour surrounds the pupil
Famous People with Heterochromia
Several well-known personalities have heterochromia, which adds to their unique appearance:
Kate Bosworth, American actress
Demi Moore, American actress (subtle form)
Shane Warne, legendary Australian cricketer
Their condition has helped bring public attention to this rare trait.
A Unique Feature, Not a Flaw: Heterochromia reminds us that human diversity is full of wonder. What may seem unusual is often just another example of nature’s creativity. Eyes of two different colours are not a defect—they are simply beautifully unique.
Did You Know?
● The word heterochromia comes from Greek—heteros meaning different and chroma meaning colour.
●Babies are often born with blue or grey eyes because melanin develops gradually after birth.
●Heterochromia can also be seen in animals, especially cats, dogs, and horses.
●People with heterochromia usually have perfectly normal eyesight.
●The condition makes eye colour one of the most unique identifiers of a person.
