Purple eyes are extremely rare in nature. They are usually dark blue or gray pupils that present a soft, dynamic purple-blue visual effect under certain light or environment, rather than saturated pure purple. However, it is extremely popular in popular culture and is regarded as a symbol of mystery, uniqueness and beauty. It has become a symbol of the trend for pursuing individuality and “atypical beauty”. Let’s learn about the unknown secrets of purple eyes.
Do purple eyes really exist?
Purple eyes do exist, but scientists have confirmed that humans cannot be born with pure purple irises. The “purple pupil” effect observed in modern times is essentially the color superposition of low-melanin irises (such as the light-colored eyes of albinos) under special light. Or it may be a visual error caused by a specific pathological condition.
Why are purple eyes rare?
Purple eyes are extremely rare in nature due to the type and distribution of melanin in the iris. Human eye color is mainly determined by a combination of eumelanin and pheomelanin, which can only produce a range of tones from light blue to dark brown, and cannot naturally form true purple. In the existing genetic mechanism, no gene combination has been found that can cause the iris to present a stable purple color, making purple one of the rarest expressions of eye color.
What causes purple eyes?
Lighting and optical illusions: Most commonly, dark blue or grey eyes can reflect a purple hue under certain lighting conditions (such as light in the purple or red spectrum) or with certain makeup, giving the illusion of purple.
Albinism: Some forms of severe albinism (oculocutaneous albinism) result in a lack of pigment in the eyes. Due to the lack of pigment, the color of the blood vessels in the iris can show through, which can appear purple or red under certain lighting conditions.
Heterochromia: While this usually results in different eye colors or uneven colors within the iris, in rare cases, if one eye has an unusually complex distribution of pigment, it can also produce a purple-like visual effect under certain conditions.
Blood disorders or drug effects: Very rare blood disorders or prolonged use of certain medications can cause changes in the color of the internal structure or blood vessels of the eye, which can visually produce unusual hues. However, this is very rare and is usually accompanied by other health problems.
Wearing cosmetic contact lenses: Many people change their eye color by wearing purple cosmetic contact lenses to achieve a purple look.
Why did Elizabeth Taylor have purple eyes?
Elizabeth Taylor’s eyes are not truly pure purple. Instead, her famous deep blue eyes appear purple in certain light, angles, and when paired with purple eyeshadow or clothing, due to light reflection and visual illusion, giving people a purple visual impression.
The story of purple eyes you don’t know
- In a 2018 study in Cognitive Science, testers generally believed that purple pupils were more “unique” in portraits, but also more “illusory" or “untrustworthy”, probably because they do not conform to natural physiological common sense.
- In the early 2010s, content about the hypothetical mutant gene “Alexandria’s Genesis” was widely shared on Tumblr and extended to a large number of fan creations, such as “Purple Eye Race Atlas” and “Interstellar Human Evolution”, which have influenced the field to this day. However, it is a network fiction, and no scientific research has demonstrated that it actually exists.
- In anime, comics, video games, and fantasy films and TV series, purple eyes are often used as a distinctive feature of characters, such as the Targaryen family in A Song of Ice and Fire, or many characters with special abilities or noble blood in Japanese comics.
- Purple eyes have inspired many fashion catwalks and daily makeup ideas. Some Dior show makeup features purple eyeshadow paired with purple contact lenses to create a futuristic, mysterious, or high-end atmosphere.
- On social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Bilibili, purple eyes have become a popular topic, attracting a large number of users to like, comment, and share, which indicates that people recognize and appreciate their uniqueness.
- Photographers use purple eyes in portrait or conceptual photography to create a specific mood, such as melancholy, alienation, nobility, or fantasy.
- In body art, especially when depicting tattoos on the eyes, the tattoo artist may assign personal, spiritual, or cosmic symbolic meanings to the color purple in the pupils.
- In ancient times, purple pigment was highly prized due to its rarity and high production costs (such as from murex shells), and was often associated with royalty and divinity. The preciousness of this pigment may have been subconsciously projected onto the perception of “purple eyes”, making it an extremely noble and rare trait.
Purple eyes are extremely rare in nature, but you can easily have the same charming purple eyes by wearing Wooeye purple contact lenses. Our lenses utilize advanced technology to naturally replicate the purple iris effect, adding a unique charm to your appearance.
