The color of our eyes is not only the key to our soul, but also the secret of genetics. What are the most popular eye colors? Where do they come from and how are they inherited? Here’s everything you need to know about iris colors.
What are the most popular eye colors?
Eye colors are one of the most distinctive human characteristics, which vary from region to region of the world. Brown eyes dominate the global scene, accounting for about 90% of the population. They are particularly common in regions of Asia, Africa and Latin America. The gene responsible for brown eye color is dominant, which explains their prevalence.
Blue eyes, although accounting for only about 7% of the world’s population, are characteristic of people of European descent, especially in the Scandinavian and Baltic regions. Blue eye color is the result of a lack of melanin in the front part of the iris and scattering of light in the iris.
Green eyes are rarer than blue ones and account for about 2% of the population. They are most common among people from Central and Western Europe. The green color of the eyes is due to a small amount of melanin in the iris and a yellow or gold pigment called lipofuscin.
Gray eyes are rare and found in less than 1% of people. They are similar to blue eyes in their lack of melanin, but have more collagen in the iris, making them look more cloudy.
Other colors, such as yellow eyes or peony eyes, are even rarer and are often the result of specific genetic mutations or health conditions. It is worth noting that eye color can change over the course of life, especially in the first years of a child’s life.
Inheritance of eye color
The inheritance of eye color is a fascinating issue of genetics that has attracted the attention of many scientists over the years. While it may seem like a simple dominant-recessive trait, it is actually much more complicated.
Most people believe that there are only three main eye colors: brown, green and blue. However, as mentioned earlier, there are many shades and combinations that can occur. In fact, depending on the classification, up to 16 different eye colors can be distinguished.
The genetics of eye color is based on two main genes: OCA2 and HERC2, which are located on chromosome 15. The OCA2 gene controls the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for eye, skin and hair color. The HERC2 gene affects the activity of the OCA2 gene. People with two copies of the recessive allele of this gene usually have blue eyes, while those with at least one dominant allele have green or brown eyes.
In practice, the inheritance of eye color is polygenic, meaning that it is controlled by multiple genes. Therefore, predicting a child’s eye color based on the parents’ eye color can be difficult. For example, two parents with blue eyes can have a child with brown eyes if they both carry the recessive allele responsible for brown eye color.
It is also worth noting that eye color can change during the first years of a child’s life. Many infants born with blue eyes may have brown eyes when they grow up, as melanin production in the iris increases with age.
Modern research also indicates that there are other genes that can affect eye color, further complicating the understanding of this issue. Nevertheless, eye color genetics remains a fascinating area of research that continues to provide new discoveries.
Eye color inheritance chart
Although the inheritance of eye color is complicated, there are some patterns that can be observed. Below is a table showing the chances of inheriting a particular eye color depending on the eye color of the parents:
| Mother’s eye color | Father’s eye color | Chance of brown eyes | Chance of blue eyes | Chance of green eyes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brown | Brown | 75% | 18% | 7% |
| Brown | Blue | 50% | 40% | 10% |
| Blue | Blue | 10% | 85% | 5% |
The rarest eye color
Eye color is one of the most diverse and unique attributes of a person. Although brown eyes are the most common in the world, there are colors that are much rarer and more unusual.
Green eyes are rare globally, accounting for only about 2% of the population. Interestingly, green eye color is not the result of a specific pigment, but rather a combination of blue light scattering and a small amount of yellow pigment. People with green eyes often have unique patterns and flecks in their irises, further emphasizing their uniqueness.
Gray eyes, while slightly more common than green, are also rare. Gray eyes are similar to blue eyes in their lack of melanin, but differ in the structure of the iris, which scatters light differently. Gray eyes can appear to change color depending on the lighting, the person’s clothing or mood.
Among the rarest eye colors, yellow eyes are also worth mentioning. This color is rare and is often the result of certain conditions, such as Gilbert syndrome. In fact, truly yellow eyes are extremely rare and are often more golden or coppery than pure yellow.
It is also worth mentioning such a phenomenon as heterochromia, where a person has two different eye colors. This can be the result of genetics, disease, injury or mutation. Although it is rare, it is one of the most unusual and beautiful phenomena related to eye color.
In conclusion, although every eye color is unique and beautiful, some colors are much rarer than others. These rare eye colors add charm and mystery to those who have them, making them truly unique.
Eye color summary
Eye colors are a fascinating topic that combines genetics with aesthetics. From the most common brown eyes to the rare green, each color is unique. The inheritance of eye color is complicated and depends on many genes, but thanks to research we can better understand where different iris shades come from.
Eye colors – frequently asked questions
Eye color can vary from person to person, and can be blue, green, brown, gray or other colors.
The rarest eye color is usually green, although this depends on the geographic region.
Beer eyes are usually an intermediate color between blue and brown.
Beer eyes are not as rare as blue or green, but they are less common than brown eyes.
Eye color is a subjective matter, so what is sexy varies for different people.
In Poland, as in other countries, eye color can vary, but the predominant color is brown.