​Can you change your eye colour naturally? (2024)

May 25, 2024

Aadya Jha

​Changing the eye colour can change

The colour of our eyes is a fascinating and unique trait, often capturing attention and curiosity. While some dream of having a different eye colour, the question arises: can you change your eye colour naturally? Here’s what you need to know.

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​The science behind eye colour

Eye colour is determined by the amount of melanin in the iris, the coloured part of the eye. People with more melanin in their irises have darker eyes, while those with less melanin have lighter eyes, like blue or green. Genetics play a significant role in determining eye colour.

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​Natural changes in eye colour

Natural changes in eye colour are typically subtle and gradual. Some factors that might cause slight variations include ageing, hormonal changes, and prolonged sun exposure. For example, up to 15% of Caucasians with lighter eye colours may notice a gradual change in their eye colour as they age.

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​Medical conditions affecting eye colour

Certain medical conditions can cause changes in eye colour. For instance, Fuchs' heterochromic iridocycl*tis, a rare form of eye inflammation, can lead to a loss of pigmentation in the iris. Other conditions, such as Horner's syndrome and pigmentary glaucoma, can also alter eye colour.

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​Mood and eye colour

While emotional responses can cause the pupils to dilate or contract, affecting how the iris pigments are displayed, this does not result in a permanent colour change. The perceived change is more about lighting and the size of the pupil rather than an actual alteration of the iris.

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​The role of sun exposure

Prolonged sun exposure can lead to an increase in melanin production in the eyes, potentially darkening the eye colour slightly. This is similar to how skin tans when exposed to the sun. However, the change is usually minimal.

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​Is it a myth

Numerous myths suggest that eye colour can be changed naturally through diet, specific exercises, or herbal remedies. There is no scientific evidence to support these claims. The melanin content in your iris is genetically determined and cannot be altered by such methods.

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​Cosmetic solutions

If you're keen on changing your eye colour, the safest and most effective way is through coloured contact lenses. These come in various shades and can provide a temporary change in appearance without altering your natural eye colour.

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Surgical procedures

Some people consider surgical procedures, like iris implants or laser treatments, to change their eye colour. These procedures are not approved in many countries, including the United States, due to significant risks such as glaucoma, cataracts, and even blindness.

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​Can you change your eye colour naturally? (2024)

FAQs

​Can you change your eye colour naturally? ›

Eye color can change over time, but only slightly. The eye color of most babies will darken in the first few years of life. During this time, the body produces a darker pigment, known as melanin. Expansion or contraction of the iris can also lead to minute changes in eye color.

Is it possible for eyes to change colour? ›

Minor Changes Are Common

For example, long-term sun exposure may cause your eyes to darken slightly, while a small percentage of Caucasian people's eyes lighten as they age. For the most part, though, your eye color will not actually change, and significant changes may be a sign of a larger problem.

How to get 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.

Which foods can change eye color? ›

Organic honey: Regular consumption of honey could make your eye hue lighter and brighter. Fish: Consuming fish can increase your eye color strength and depending on the consumption, this changes could be permanent. Olive oil: Many people believe that adding olive oil to your diet could change the shade of your eyes.

What can lighten your eye color? ›

Eye color can be lightened with a laser treatment that releases pigment from your iris. The problem? Shedding that pigment can clog drains inside your eye, increasing pressure and causing vision loss.

Which eye color is most attractive? ›

We found that green is the most popular lens colour, with brown coming in a close second, despite it being one of the most common eye colours. Although blue and hazel are seen as the most attractive eye colours for men and women they are surprisingly the least popular.

Are eye color changing drops safe? ›

Or lighten the eyes if it has already occurred.” Your MSM, color changing, and eye lightening eye drop products are not generally recognized as safe and effective (GRASE) for their above-referenced uses and, therefore, these products are “new drugs” under section 201(p) of the FD&C Act, 21 U.S.C. 321(p).

What is the rarest eye color? ›

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.

Is green eyes very rare? ›

A 2014 survey conducted by the American Academy of Ophthalmology determined that green is the rarest eye color in America. The survey found that only 9% of Americans have green eyes. According to WorldAtlas, only 2% of the world's population have green eyes. This makes the color even more rare on a global scale.

Can honey change eye color? ›

Answer: Using honey to change eye color is an urban myth. Your iris, a structure that is in the center of the eyeball, determines the eye color; not any substance placed on the surface of the eye. Introducing foreign substances may expose the eye to irritating and harmful materials that could be potentially disastrous.

Do purple eyes exist? ›

Red and violet

Although the deep blue eyes of some people such as Elizabeth Taylor can appear purple or violet at certain times, "true" violet-colored eyes occur only due to albinism. Eyes that appear red or violet under certain conditions due to albinism are less than 1 percent of the world's population.

How to change eye color naturally at home? ›

Some people promote the use of honey and tepid water to change the color of the eyes gradually. No scientific evidence supports this method, and it is not considered safe. Tap water and honey are not sterile and can cause infection.

Can vitamin C change eye color? ›

By eating more foods rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene, you can work to whiten your eyes from the inside-out. While this natural method is slow-acting, it's also long-lasting and better for your eye and body health overall, so be patient with the process.

Can eye color be changed? ›

Laser Surgery

This procedure changes your eye color by destroying the pigment, or color, cells in your iris. When they go away, brown eyes look blue. That's because blue eyes don't have any pigment. It can only be done on brown eyes.

Can laser change eye color? ›

Cosmetic Eye Color Change Surgery

Not to be confused with LASIK eye surgery, cosmetic laser eye surgery is a newer experimental procedure that uses a laser to induce permanent changes in one's eye color. A laser is used to deteriorate the brown pigment cells in the iris, creating a lighter eye color.

How much does it cost to change your eye color? ›

Alexander Movshovich, KERATO is the first keratopigmentation practice in the U.S. that uses special lasers to insert pigments inside a healthy cornea to cover the eye's natural color, which lies in the iris. The procedure costs $12,000 and is not covered by insurance. Yet the risks and cost doesn't deter some people.

Can emotional trauma change eye color? ›

Your mood and your body's natural reaction isn't actually changing the color of your eyes. This situation is more of a mental mind trick. The effect can still be very interesting. The size of your pupil can also be changed due to stroke, brain damage, or trauma according to the AAO.

Is it legal to change your eye color? ›

Eye color change procedures, none of which are FDA-approved, carry with them risks that include severe light sensitivity, glaucoma, cataracts, corneal disease, vision loss and blindness. Side effects may manifest shortly after a procedure or take years to develop.

Can your eyes change color with what you wear? ›

Our eye colors don't typically change. However, clothing and makeup options bring out different shades of our eyes and make them pop. For example, blue eyes may appear bluer when people wear warm-toned eye makeup—and green eyes may appear more vibrant when wearing a green shirt.

Can eyes change color when angry? ›

The pupil can change size with certain emotions, thus changing the iris color dispersion and the eye color. You've probably heard people say your eyes change color when you're angry, and that probably is true. Your eyes can also change color with age.

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