The color of your eyes is determined by a combination of genetics and ancestry. Ancestry plays a significant role in determining eye color because certain genes that control eye pigmentation are passed down from our parents.
The Difference in Eye Color Factors
These genes contain instructions for producing melanin, the pigment that gives color to our eyes. For example, people with ancestors from regions like Africa and the Middle East, often have darker eyes. This is because their ancestors evolved to have more melanin in their eyes to protect them from the sun’s UV rays. As a result, their eye colors appear darker than others.
On the other hand, individuals with European ancestry tend to have lighter eye colors like blue, green, or gray. This is because their ancestors lived in regions with less sunlight, so they did not need as much melanin in their eyes for protection. As a result, their eyes may appear lighter due to lower levels of melanin.
However, it is essential to know that eye color is not solely determined by ancestry. It is also influenced by a complex interplay of genetic factors. For instance, if both parents have brown eyes, their children are more likely to have them too, but there is still a chance they could have different eye colors depending on the specific combination of genes they inherit.
Additionally, while certain eye colors may be more common in specific populations due to ancestry, there is still variability within those populations. So, it is entirely possible for someone with European ancestry to have brown eyes or for someone with African ancestry to have blue eyes. While ancestry does play a crucial role in determining eye color, it is not the only factor at play. Genetic inheritance, along with other environmental factors, also contributes to the different eye colors.
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FAQs
These genes contain instructions for producing melanin, the pigment that gives color to our eyes. For example, people with ancestors from regions like Africa and the Middle East, often have darker eyes. This is because their ancestors evolved to have more melanin in their eyes to protect them from the sun's UV rays.
Which inheritance pattern controls eye color? ›
In the most elementary form, the inheritance of eye color is classified as a Mendelian trait.
How does genetics affect eye color? ›
Eye color is determined by variations in a person's genes. Most of the genes associated with eye color are involved in the production, transport, or storage of a pigment called melanin. Eye color is directly related to the amount of melanin in the front layers of the iris.
Why do experts say that no two eye colors are the same? ›
The more melanin present, the darker the eye color. However, the amount of melanin varies in each person, which is why no two people have the same exact eye color.
Which parent dominates eye color? ›
Babies inherit equal eye color genetics from both parents — 50% from each. From here, genes mutate to produce what are called alleles. Alleles are alternative forms of a gene that, in this case, are responsible for giving your baby a certain eye color.
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
Eye color evolution corresponds to our ancestors' migrations. Scientists theorize that the evolution of eye color corresponds to the migrations of our ancestors from warmer to colder climates. Today, the widest variety of eye colors can be found among the Europeans, ranging from light blue to dark brown.
What eye color is the strongest gene? ›
The allele for brown eyes is the most dominant allele and is always dominant over the other two alleles and the allele for green eyes is always dominant over the allele for blue eyes, which is always recessive.
Where do hazel eyes come from in genetics? ›
Hazel eyes have a mix of both brown and blue pigment. The specific genes responsible for eye color are complex and not fully understood. However, it is known that there are at least two genes involved in determining eye color: OCA2 and HERC2.
Can eye color be inherited from grandparents? ›
If one of the grandparents has blue eyes, the odds of having a baby with blue eyes increases slightly. If one parent has brown eyes and the other has blue eyes, the chances of having a brown-eyed or blue-eyed baby are roughly even.
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.
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.
Why are 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. Green eyes don't actually have any color.
Do blue eyes mean inbreeding? ›
This is a persistent myth with no scientific basis. Blue eyes are a result of genetics, not inbreeding. The diversity of eye colors within a population is a natural outcome of genetic variation. Blue eyes are not a mutation but rather a variation in the expression of genes related to eye color.
Which parent determines height? ›
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, people may wish to try the following formula for predicting how tall a child will be: Measure the height of both biological parents. For male children, add 5 inches (in) to the father's height, add the mother's height, then divide by 2.
How does eye color inheritance work? ›
Today, scientists have discovered that at least eight genes influence the final color of eyes. The genes control the amount of melanin inside specialized cells of the iris. One gene, OCA2, controls nearly three-fourths of the blue-brown color spectrum.
Is the eye color gene dominant or recessive? ›
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. Other genes that help determine eye, skin, and hair color include the genes ASIP, IRF4, SLC24A4, SLC24A5, SLC45A2, TPCN2, TYR, and TYRP1.
Is eye color controlled by polygenic inheritance? ›
It is now clear that eye color is a polygenic trait, meaning it is determined by multiple genes. Among the genes that affect eye color, OCA2 and HERC2 stand out.
What type of inheritance controls height and eye color? ›
Human features like height, eye color, and hair color come in lots of slightly different forms because they are controlled by many genes, each of which contributes some amount to the overall phenotype.
Is eye color inherited or acquired? ›
Eye color is an inherited trait determined by multiple genes. These genes are sought by studying small changes in the genes themselves and in neighboring genes, called single-nucleotide polymorphisms or SNPs. The total number of genes that contribute to eye color is unknown, but there are a few likely candidates.
