Have you ever gazed into your own eyes and wondered how unique they are among the billions of people worldwide? From deep brown to breathtaking blue to mysterious and rare green, each eye color carries a unique genetic code and a fascinating story. This article will take you deep into the mystery of the global distribution of eye color and reveal which rare percentage your iris belongs to. Are you ready to understand the unique place your eyes hold on the world stage?
Brown eyes
Brown eyes are the most common eye color worldwide, with about 79% of the world’s population having brown eyes.
Brown eyes are characterized by a high concentration of melanin in their irises. The higher the melanin content, the darker the eye color. As a result, brown eyes can range in hue from light brown and honey brown to deep chocolate and even close to black. The depth and radiance of brown eyes are more noticeable in different lighting, sometimes with a golden or red shimmer. This high pigment content also improves brown eyes’ UV protection.
Blue Eyes
Blue eyes are the second most common eye color worldwide, with approximately 8% to 10% of the world’s population having blue eyes.
Blue eyes have very low levels of melanin in the iris. They appear blue not because of the presence of blue pigment, but because of Rayleigh scattering of light entering the eye by the collagen fibers in the stroma of the iris. Short wavelengths of blue light are scattered, while other wavelengths are absorbed, making the eyes appear blue. Blue eyes can range in hue from light blue to gray-blue to dark blue and show subtle color changes under different lighting.
Green Eyes
Green eyes are one of the rarest eye colors in the world, with approximately 2% of the world’s population having green eyes.
Green eyes are formed by the interaction of blue scattered light with a small amount of yellow lipochrome in the iris. This means their irises contain slightly more melanin than blue eyes, but much less than brown eyes. This unique combination of pigment and scattered light gives green eyes a wide range of shades, from light green and emerald green to dark olive green. Green eyes are fascinating and unique due to their rarity and complex optical effects, where the yellow or blue base color inside may be more prominent in different lighting.
Gray eyes
Gray eyes are a relatively rare color, with about 1% of the world’s population having gray eyes.
Gray eyes are considered a variant of blue eyes. Still, they contain less melanin in the iris than blue eyes, and have a higher density of collagen fibers in the iris stroma. This high density of collagen fibers results in stronger Rayleigh scattering. Still, due to the very little melanin and different light absorption characteristics in the iris stroma, it mainly scatters short-wavelength gray-white light instead of pure blue light. Gray eyes can range from light gray, silver gray, to dark gray with blue or green tones. They also often show different colors due to changes in light and environment, appearing deep and varied.
Amber Eyes
Amber eyes are a rare eye color worldwide, with little data and debate. Still, less than 1% of the world’s population is generally believed to have them.
Amber eyes are unique in that they are a pure, uniform golden or copper hue, without brown, green, or orange flecks. This color is primarily due to the high concentration of lipochrome (yellow pigment) in the iris. Due to the uniformity of this pigment, amber eyes are generally stable in color, unlike hazel or blue-green eyes, which can change in different light. They often have a warm, bright glow, sometimes reminiscent of honey, caramel, or gold, giving them a unique and charming impression.
Hazel Eyes
Hazel eyes are a relatively common eye color, with approximately 5% of the world’s population having them.
The striking feature of hazel eyes is their variability, a complex mixture of brown, green, and gold. The iris contains a moderate amount of melanin and a certain amount of yellow lipopigment, which is distributed in spots, rings, or radials. Due to the presence of these multiple pigments, the color of hazel eyes can appear different, sometimes green, sometimes brown, and sometimes with a golden sheen, depending on the lighting conditions, the color of the surrounding environment, and even the clothes they wear. These eyes give people a warm, deep, and layered feeling.
Purple Eyes
Naturally occurring pure purple eyes are almost non-existent in the global population, with a prevalence of nearly 0%. In rare cases, some light blue eyes (especially in certain lighting or combined with red blood vessels) can be mistaken for purple.
So-called “purple eyes” are not due to the presence of purple pigment in the iris, but are the result of scarce deep blue eyes combined with trace amounts of red reflections in the iris or blood vessels around the eye, especially under particular lighting conditions. Another possibility is a connection to rare genetic diseases, such as albinism. Purple eyes may appear as a rare and mysterious trait in literature and mythology. Still, in the real world, it is almost non-existent.
