5 Things You Might Not Know About Blue Eyes

1. All people with blue eyes are distant relatives

About 6,000 years ago, in the territory of present-day Europe, a baby was born with a genetic mutation – blue eye color, according to researchers from the University of Copenhagen. They believe this was the first blue-eyed person, and anyone who has blue eyes today is a distant relative of this ancient individual.

2. Blue eyes are not actually blue

The blue color of the eyes is determined by melanin, and melanin is actually brown by nature. The color of our eyes depends on how much melanin is present in the iris. Brown eyes have the highest amount of melanin in the iris, while blue eyes have the least.

3. You cannot predict whether a child will have blue eyes

It was once believed that eye color, including blue eyes, was a simple genetic trait. It was commonly known that we could predict a child’s eye color if we knew the eye color of their parents and possibly the eye color of their grandparents. Or at least that’s what we thought.

Geneticists now know that up to 16 different genes influence eye color, which makes the task much more complicated.

4. Blue eyes at birth do not mean blue eyes for life

Human eyes do not have the full amount of melanin pigment at birth. That is why many babies are born with blue eyes, but their color changes as the irises accumulate more melanin during early childhood. This color transition can take anywhere from a few months to three years.

5. Blue eyes are beautiful but are associated with certain risks

Melanin in the iris seems to help protect the back of the eye (retina) from damage caused by UV radiation coming from the sun.

Since blue eyes contain less melanin, they may be at a higher risk for certain damage.

Research shows that lighter iris colors are associated with:

• Higher risk of ocular uveal melanoma (a type of eye cancer)
• More frequent occurrence of eye allergies
• However, after the bad news comes some good: blue eyes are associated with a lower risk of developing cataracts.
• There is no difference in the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration.

And if you want to enjoy good vision for a longer time, do not skip preventive checkups. At our facility, they are performed with the most modern equipment and include:

• Visual acuity examination
• Fundus examination
• Measurement of intraocular pressure

To schedule an appointment, you can use the platform on the website, where it can be done in two clicks.