In honor of St. Patrick’s Day and the “wearin’ of the green,” we thought it would be fun and fitting to share some interesting facts about green…eyes!
#1
Green is the rarest eye color. If your sparklers are truly green, you are something of a unicorn… only about 2% of the world’s population sport this hue.
#2
Green-eyed people can be found all around the globe. There is a Chinese village, Liqian, where a high percentage of the population sports green eyes and lighter hair.
#3
There isn’t any actual green pigment in a green eye. Melanin, a natural pigment that helps determine our skin, hair, and eye color, is found in all eyes. Brown eyes have quite a lot and blue eyes have relatively little. Green eyes are also low on melanin, but in addition they contain lipochrome, a yellowish, fat-soluble pigment. Lipochrome is also found in things like butter, eggs, and corn. So a little melanin, some lipochrome, and a cool light dispersing scattering called the Tyndall Effect combine to produce those rare green eyes!
#4
At least 16 genes contribute to eye color. You might have been taught in biology class that two brown-eyed parents can have only brown-eyed children, but it’s more complicated than that.
#5
Green eyes are popular in cultural references. Here are some famous characters with green eyes:
· Jane Eyre—that plucky governess living in a “haunted” mansion, from the book Jane Eyre
· Rapunzel—another courageous hero in Tangled
· Scarlet O’Hara—feisty protagonist in Gone with the Wind
· Scar—the scheming uncle in The Lion King
· Mary Jane Watson, Catwoman, Batgirl—green eyes are popular in the world of comics
· Sara Crewe—brave little girl from A Little Princess
· Harry Potter – from the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling
#6
In a large survey performed by All About Vision, green was voted the most attractive eye color, with over 20% of the 66,000 respondents choosing this hue.
#7
More women than men have green eyes. Scientists aren’t sure why this is, but it suggests there is an underlying gender-related factor that causes this difference.
#8
Animals can also sport green eyes.Green eyes occur in dogs, snakes, frogs, birds, monkeys, multiple members of the cat family, and many other animals.
#9
People with green eyes are more likely to have certain health issues. Green eyes are more prone to melanoma of the uvea, a type of eye cancer, than are dark eyes. The same is true for macular degeneration. If you have green eyes, protect those beautiful peepers with a quality pair of sunglasses to lower your chances for these diseases!
FAQs
Only around 2% of people in the world have green eyes. This particular trait is common among individuals of European descent and also those born in Ireland and Scotland. Interestingly there is a secluded village called Liqian in Western China, where a majority of the population has green eyes and blonde hair.
What is a fun fact about green eyes? ›
Only around 2% of people in the world have green eyes. This particular trait is common among individuals of European descent and also those born in Ireland and Scotland. Interestingly there is a secluded village called Liqian in Western China, where a majority of the population has green eyes and blonde hair.
What is the mystery of green eyes? ›
Green eyes are less common than brown eyes, with only about 2% of the world's population having green eyes. Green eyes are caused by a combination of eumelanin and a small amount of pheomelanin in the iris. The gene for green eyes is recessive, meaning that two copies of the allele are needed to produce green eyes.
Why are green eyes so captivating? ›
They are known to evoke feelings of curiosity, calmness, and even a sense of magnetism. The ability of green eyes to communicate and captivate through emotional expression adds to their special appeal.
What are the traits of people with green eyes? ›
The genes that determine eye color are tied to the same genes that form the frontal lobe of our brains- so researchers believe that people with similar eye colors share similar traits. People with green eyes are said to be intelligent, creative, alluring, and mysterious.
What is the heritage of green eyes? ›
Green eyes are most common in Northern, Western and Central Europe. Around 8–10% of men and 18–21% of women in Iceland and 6% of men and 17% of women in the Netherlands have green eyes. Among European Americans, green eyes are most common among those of recent Celtic and Germanic ancestry, with about 16%.
What does "green eyes" mean spiritually? ›
Green eyes are indicative of mystical intelligence or psychic powers. In many tales, green eyes are considered a sign of wisdom and knowledge. Wizards, nymphs, and spirits are given green eyes to appear trustworthy and intelligent, symbolizing that they are wiser than they appear and may be able to predict the future.
What is the myth behind green eyes? ›
The association with green eyes and jealousy most likely originated in Greek mythology in the tale of Cupid and Psyche. In folktales around the world, witches, nymphs and water spirits often have green eyes.
What is the power of green eyes? ›
Symbolism and Myths: Green eyes have been the subject of symbolism and myths in various cultures. They are often associated with nature, fertility, and even supernatural abilities, further enhancing their allure and intrigue.
What makes green eyes so rare? ›
Green eyes are the most rare eye color in the world. Only about 2 percent of people in the world have naturally green eyes. Green eyes are a genetic mutation that results in low levels of melanin, though more melanin than in blue eyes.
The largest concentration of green eyed people is in Ireland, Scotland and Northern Europe. In Ireland and Scotland, 86% of people have either blue or green eyes. There have been 16 genes identified that contribute to eye colour.
What do they say about girls with green eyes? ›
Compliments for Green Eyes
These sayings can be a great way to express the unique beauty of their peepers. Green is the gaze of loveliness. Your eyes have the shine and sparkle of an emerald. If beauty had a color, it would be the green of your eyes.
What is the most beautiful eye color in the world? ›
One thing these survey results have in common is that light-colored eyes — green, gray, blue, and hazel — are named as the most attractive eye colors in the world. In one large survey of more than 66,000 people, green was chosen as the most attractive eye color. Green is also among the rarest eye colors.
Who usually has green eyes? ›
An estimated 2% of the world's population have green eyes, making them very rare overall. However, green eyes are very common in some parts of the world, including Ireland and Scotland. In the U.S., where many people descend from ancestors from Ireland and Scotland, about 9% of people have green eyes.
What is the dominant trait for green eyes? ›
If a trait is recessive, like blue eyes, it usually only appears when the alleles are the same (hom*ozygous). 10 Brown eye color is a dominant trait and blue eye color is a recessive trait. Green eye color is a mix of both. Green is recessive to brown but dominant to blue.
What is the rarest eye color? ›
Gray: The Rarest Eye Color
| Eye Color | U.S. Population | World Population |
|---|
| Gray and other | Less than 1% | Less than 1% |
| Green | 9% | 2% |
| Hazel/amber | 18% | 10% |
| Blue | 27% | 8% to 10% |
1 more rowJan 1, 2024
Of those four, green is the rarest. It shows up in about 9% of Americans but only 2% of the world's population. Hazel/amber is the next rarest color after green. Blue is the second most common and brown tops the list, found in 45% of the U.S. population and possibly almost 80% worldwide.
How do you describe green eyes? ›
Green Eyes
Examples: Green orbs with rings of silver, as mosey green and still as water in summer. Her eyes were deep forest green, that flickered like sunlight filtered through leaves. Emerald green eyes with slender strands of gold like spikes around a wheel.
Are green eyes more sensitive to light? ›
Lighter-colored eyes have less pigment to protect against sun damage and UV radiation compared to darker-colored eyes. This means that people with green, hazel, or blue eyes are more sensitive to light and more susceptible to UV damage.
Are green eyes attractive on guys? ›
When broken down by gender, men ranked gray, blue, and green eyes as the most attractive, while women said they were most attracted to green, hazel, and gray eyes. Despite brown eyes ranking at the bottom of our perceived attraction scale, approximately 79% of the world's population sports melanin-rich brown eyes.
Animals can also sport green eyes.Green eyes occur in dogs, snakes, frogs, birds, monkeys, multiple members of the cat family, and many other animals.