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Adult eyes may appear to change color as their pupils dilate or they change their outfit, but an actual change in eye color may be a signal that something is wrong.
Sources: (BBC) (WebMD)
Dark flecks, also known as Lisch nodules, are a common sign of the genetic condition neurofibromatosis type 1.
More often than not, they do not do anything and are benign. However, for some people they can grow into tumors and become very problematic.
Freckles and moles can also develop anywhere in the eye. As with freckles and moles on the skin, it is a good idea to stay on top of these.
There are even some viruses not normally associated with the eyes that can thrive in the interior of the eye and affect pigmentation.
Kunis has one brown eye and one green, thanks to an infection of the iris that destroyed some of the pigment.
In one extremely rare case, there was an Ebola survivor whose eye color changed from blue to green, after the virus was cleared from the rest of his body but found to persist in his eye fluid.
For example, pale flecks known as Brushfield spots can appear in the irises of people with Down syndrome.
A famous example of someone who has true heterochromia—two irises of different colors—as a result of infection is actress Mila Kunis.
The overall eye color may also appear to change due to the emergence of small flecks in the iris (as opposed to a change that affects the whole iris).
Bowie had a condition called anisocoria, which was caused by a blow to the head that left his pupil permanently dilated.
In Bowie’s case, it was not actually the iris that changed color. However, there are also injuries that can cause this sort of change.
If, for example, you sustain an injury that causes a lot of blood to leak into the eye, this can stain parts of the eye and cause the iris itself to change color.
Although eye color change later in life is much less common, it is not in fact impossible. The main reasons for eye color change in adults are injury, infection, and sun damage.
Almost certainly there is a combination of genetic and environmental factors at play, but we do not currently have that data available for the general population.
As a general rule, brown eyes have higher levels of melanin than blue eyes, and it is thought that eye color may change as levels of melanin build up over time.
You’re probably not the only one. Although not much research has been done into infant eye color change, it is thought to be reasonably common.
Have you ever met a baby who was born with bright blue eyes, only to see the same baby a year later and find they have deep brown peepers?
However, there are circumstances in which our eye color can change. In fact, for infants under one year of age, eye color change is actually quite common.
In maternity wards, you’ll often hear new parents talking about how their baby was born with blue eyes, but how “that will probably change.”
This would suggest that eye color is permanent; that it does not change over time. And, indeed, for the most part that is true.
The main pigment in our eyes is melanin, which offers protection from sun damage in the same way it does in the skin.
Eye color is generally considered a defining characteristic. When asked to describe a person, we often refer to their eye color, as well as their hair color and stature.
Given that eye color is determined by genetics, we often assume it is permanent. While it is reasonably common knowledge that babies' eyes can change color during their first months and years, adult eye color change is often considered an impossibility. In reality, however, this is not the case. While adult eye color change is rare, it is possible, and it usually happens as a result of injury, sun damage, or infection.
Check out this gallery to find out all about adult eye color change.
Can your eye color change as an adult?
The possible reasons for this rare phenomenon
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Given that eye color is determined by genetics, we often assume it is permanent. While it is reasonably common knowledge that babies' eyes can change color during their first months and years, adult eye color change is often considered an impossibility. In reality, however, this is not the case. While adult eye color change is rare, it is possible, and it usually happens as a result of injury, sun damage, or infection.
Check out this gallery to find out all about adult eye color change.