But a survey of more than 25,000 people from 12 countries has . In fact, Hamilton should be proud to be part of an exclusive club: recent studies found that only one in six Americans now have blue eyes, down from roughly 50 percent at the beginning of the 20th . Blue eyes aren't even actually blue. Nevertheless, both figures leave Estonia among the top countries that have the most blondes and blue eyes as a percentage of population. Normal eye colors range from the darkest shades of brown to the lightest tints of blue. Europe was the epicenter of the blue-eye gene mutation. [9] The earlier belief that blue eye color is a simple recessive trait has been shown to be incorrect. There are many other possible reasons for having two different-colored eyes. Age-Related Macular Degeneration. Researches at Penn State University identified SLC24A5 as the gene responsible for skin pigmentation, and a specific mutation within it responsible for fair skin. About half as many Americans have blue eyes as brown eyes. While limited, there is some research showing that blue eyes may protect you against seasonal affective disorder. Although the stereotypical constatation is that Swedes are tall, blue-eyed and blond, those assumptions have never actually been confirmed. Worldwide, fewer than 9% of people have blue eyes. Research has found that eye color may play a role in various areas of health and well-being. All About Vision does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. [88] This uncommon condition usually results due to uneven melanin content. Your genes determine whether you have blue eyes. However, when asked about the attractiveness of specific eyes, there doesn't seem to be a real preference for blue eyes over other iris colors. [citation needed], Those with lighter iris color have been found to have a higher prevalence of age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) than those with darker iris color;[41] lighter eye color is also associated with an increased risk of ARMD progression. The brightly colored eyes of many bird species result from the presence of other pigments, such as pteridines, purines, and carotenoids. A team of scientists has tracked down a genetic mutation that leads to blue eyes. Researchers believe there is one ancestor responsible for this eye color. Eye color may not remain constant throughout your life. Brown irises contain more or less melanin. Moreover, a gray iris may indicate uveitis, while those with blue, green, or gray eyes are at an increased risk of uveal melanoma. Finland is a country with a rich history and unique culture. Gray is the second-rarest natural eye color after green, with 3% of the world's population having it. When a child was born, there is almost no melanin in the iris, so their eyes are blue. Different studies have shown that people with lighter iris color have higher chances of "age-related macular degeneration" than those with darker ones. Almost all humans have some brown in their eyes. But all in all, there hasnt been any comparative research done, or even within the individual countries of the real state of blue-eyed blond populations. 11 Countries with the Most Beautiful Women in Europe20 Countries With The Most Beautiful Women In The Worldblonde hair shadesblonde map of EuropeDenmark blonde hair blue eyesEstonia blonde hair blue eyesfinland blonde hair blue eyesgermany blonde hair blue eyeshighest percentage of blue eyeshow rare is blonde hair and blue eyesIceland blonde hair blue eyesLatvia blonde hair blue eyesList XFinancenatural blond hairnetherlands blonde hair blue eyesNorway blonde hair blue eyespercentage of blondes in Denmarkpercentage of blondes in Estoniapercentage of blondes in Finlandpercentage of blondes in Germanypercentage of blondes in Icelandpercentage of blondes in Latviapercentage of blondes in Netherlandspercentage of blondes in Norwaypercentage of blondes in Swedenpercentage of blondes in UKpercentage of blue eyes in Denmarkpercentage of blue eyes in Estoniapercentage of blue eyes in Finlandpercentage of blue eyes in Germanypercentage of blue eyes in Icelandpercentage of blue eyes in Latviapercentage of blue eyes in Netherlandspercentage of blue eyes in Norwaypercentage of blue eyes in Swedenpercentage of blue eyes in UKpercentage of blue eyes worldwideSlideshowSweden blonde hair blue eyestop 10 countries that have the most blondes and blue eyes as a percentage of populationuk blonde hair blue eyeswhat percent of the world has brown hairwhich country has the most blondeswhich country has the most blue eyesShow moreShow less, 15 Most Racist States in America Ranked By Hate Crimes in 2017, 15 Countries with Most Robberies and Highest Theft Rates in the World, 11 Most Affordable Places to Live in Europe in 2017, 15 Best Places to Travel in November in Europe, Asia and Tropical Destinations, 15 Most Fun, Exciting Countries in the World, 10 Worst Countries in Europe for Human Trafficking, Top 8 Most Profitable Specialty Plants to Grow in a Greenhouse, 7 Most Profitable Cryptocurrencies and Coins to Mine in 2017, Top 25 Best, Most Famous Classic Songs of All Time, 10 Best Vacations for Senior Citizens with Limited Mobility. Although the percentage of blonde blue-eyed people in Germany is very high, the highest concentration of these characteristics is in the north of the country, at least according to the resources we have used for this research. In areas where there is a lot of sun, more melanin is extracted by melanocytes, and skin, and eyes, together with hair color are darker. The more melanin concentration one has, the darker ones eyes will be. She has spent the last 10 years working for an internationally recognized medical facility where she found her passion for making complicated topics easier to understand. Blue eyes have been common across Europe since prehistoric times. "Why Edinburgh residents are likely to be blue-eyed", "Genetic determinants of hair, eye and skin pigmentation in Europeans", "Eye Color Percentage for Across the Globe", "Is there any difference in the photobiological properties of melanins isolated from human blue and brown eyes? Blue eyes are an inherited trait. 2000-2023 AAV Media, LLC. Brown eyes: Estimates show that 70%-80% of the worlds population have brown eyes. Anisocoria thus refers to an abnormal condition characterized by different pupil sizes. [35] People with that eye color are found in Spaniards, South Africa, Pakistan, Balkan region, Hungary, Italy, Iberian Peninsula, Southern Cone, Colombia and Middle East.[36]. [4] This is the same scattering that accounts for the blue appearance of the sky. ", Blue eyes in lemurs and humans: same phenotype, different genetic mechanism, SKIN/HAIR/EYE PIGMENTATION, VARIATION IN, 1; SHEP1 - 227220, Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Ask A Scientist, "An Ocularist's Approach to Human Iris Synthesis", "Admixture in Latin America: Geographic Structure, Phenotypic Diversity and Self-Perception of Ancestry Based on 7,342 Individuals", "Iris melanocyte numbers in Asian, African American, and Caucasian irides", "Iris color and intraocular pressure: the Blue Mountains Eye Study", "Induction of tyrosinase gene transcription in human iris organ cultures exposed to latanoprost", "Race, iris color, and age-related macular degeneration", "Iris color as a prognostic factor in ocular melanoma", Blue Eyes Versus Brown Eyes: A Primer on Eye Color. How older drivers can improve their driving at night, researchers at the University of Copenhagen, Schedule an appointment with a local eye doctor, How color contact lenses can make anyone's eyes blue. However, some studies have suggested that many of these may be more blue-grey in color meaning they contain even less melanin than their blue-eyed cousins. In Norway, an estimated 75% of the population . 15 Best Places to Travel in November in Europe, Asia and Tropical Destinations 15 Most Expensive Items You Can Buy on Amazon. Stay Safe. Icelandic people demonstrate a strong national pride in preserving their culture. Eye damage from UV and blue light appears to be related to your lifetime exposure to these rays, so wearing sunglasses that block 100% UV (and most blue light) should start during childhood, when possible. To put that in perspective, 79% of people have brown eyes. Whether you have blue, brown, green, or hazel eyes, always take good care of your eyes, it will keep them healthy for years to come! Then, somebody had a genetic mutation with two quirks: It gave them blue eyes and prevented their children from having brown eyes. In the US, 45% of people have brown eyes, while the rarest eye color is green only 9% of people in the US have green eyes. Two factors affect the color of ones eyes: the pigmentation of the eyes iris and the frequency of light scattering by the murky medium in the iris stroma. In fact, the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) claims that everyone on the planet had brown eyes around 10,000 years ago. In addition to genetics, the anatomic structure of the iris can also affect eye color to some degree. Especially, Intraocular Melanoma. It is darkest when we are at our healthiest and naturally fades . [3][6] This is an example of structural color, which depends on the lighting conditions, especially for lighter-colored eyes. [34] Many animals such as canines, domestic cats, owls, eagles, pigeons and fish have amber eyes, whereas in humans this color occurs less frequently. Iris color and associated pathological ocular complications: a review of epidemiologic studies. Heterochromia (heterochromia iridum or heterochromia iridis) is an eye condition in which one iris is a different color from the other (complete heterochromia), or where a part of one iris is a different color from the remainder (partial heterochromia or sectoral heterochromia). Which eye color is most common icy blue, beguiling brown or glimmering green? Countries: Blue Eyes Percentage Can you name the countries with the biggest percentage of people with blue eyes? The mutation occurred between . ", "Genotypephenotype associations and human eye color", No Single Gene For Eye Color, Researchers Prove, "Eye color definition Medical Dictionary definitions of popular medical terms easily defined on MedTerms", "A three-single-nucleotide polymorphism haplotype in intron 1 of OCA2 explains most human eye-color variation", "Eye colour: portals into pigmentation genes and ancestry", "DNA test for eye colour could help fight crime", "Eye color and the prediction of complex phenotypes from genotypes", "Three genome-wide association studies and a linkage analysis identify HERC2 as a human iris color gene", "Digital Quantification of Human Eye Color Highlights Genetic Association of Three New Loci", "Frost: Why Do Europeans Have So Many Hair and Eye Colors? It may take up to six months for the gene responsible for creating the pigment in the eyes to activate melanin production. In cases of central Heterochromia, the irises are identical, but there is a ring of different colors around the pupil. As explained by livescience.com, "a single mutation which arose as recently as . A mosaic can have two different colored eyes if the DNA difference happens to be in an eye-color gene. Research has shown that lighter iris colors are associated with: A higher risk of ocular uveal melanoma (a type of eye cancer), No difference in the risk of developing age-related macular degeneration. After green, gray is the second-rarest natural eye color, with 3% of the worlds population having gray eyes. An iris that appears golden contains some melanin even at this early age and is likely to turn from blue to green or brown as the infant ages. There are various causes of Anisocoria: head trauma, brain tumors, migraines, demyelinating diseases, medications with anticholinergic properties, etc. 9. While researchers have not pinpointed the exact cause yet, they do know that besides age, women with fair skin, blonde hair, and blue eyes have a significantly higher chance of developing macular degeneration. A number of causes are responsible, including genetic, such as chimerism, Horner's syndrome and Waardenburg syndrome. Blue eyes have small amounts of melanin while brown eyes are rich in melanin. More than 80 percent of the inhabitants of Estonia and Scandinavian countries have blue eyes. Hazel 5-8%. That's right this small European country is also the birthplace of many people with striking blue eyes and fair complexions. The Greek goddess Athene appears with gray eyes (). 2. Contact an eye doctor if you need medical attention. Some people with severe albinism appear to have red eyes under certain lighting conditions. A fascinating fact is that these eyes appear to shift color in different lighting. The extensive study on the genetic mutation was carried out by researchers at three Japanese universities; the research concluded that the genetic mutation occurred around 9,000 BC, as a result of various environmental and evolutionary factors. Brown eyes in an otherwise mostly light-eyed region may point to a genetic leftover and a time in history during which everyone in the world had brown eyes. That doesn't necessarily mean that the parents themselves have to have blue eyes; it's possible they carry the gene, but it is recessive. Sturm R.A. & Larsson M., Genetics of human iris colour and patterns, Pigment Cell Melanoma Res, 22:544-562, 2009. It shows that in most of Scotland and Ireland, as well as a random patch in central Russia, 10% of people are of the ginger genre. Blue eyes are the second most common eye color in the world. A study in Rotterdam (2009) found that it was possible to predict eye color with more than 90% accuracy for brown and blue using just six SNPs. WorldAtlas. Gray eyes: A rare and beautiful eye color. While ocular melanomas may happen at any age, the risk goes up as you get older. Researchers believe there is one ancestor responsible for blue eyes that descended from the Black Sea region of southeastern Europe anywhere between 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. In humans, this pigmentation of the iris depends on the melanin concentration in the iris pigment epithelium, it's content within the iris stroma, as well as the cellular density of the stroma. Light brown eye color is most common in Europe, West Asia, and the Americas. View Reports-/5-RATE Their numbers: The stats for the United States shake out a bit differently. Diabetes Metab Res Rev. Yellowing of the sclera (the "whites of the eyes") is associated with jaundice,[84] and may be symptomatic of liver diseases such as cirrhosis or hepatitis. Human eyes don't have their full amount of melanin pigment at birth. Green eyes: The most attractive eye color? Medicaid: Eligibility and Vision Benefits. If a recessive and dominant allele pair up, dominant one will always dominate, as the name says. This means everyone with blue eyes has one thing in commonthey're all related. One possible explanation for the difference in the appearance of gray and blue eyes is that gray eyes have larger deposits of collagen in the stroma, so that the light that is reflected from the epithelium undergoes Mie scattering (which is not strongly frequency-dependent) rather than Rayleigh scattering (in which shorter wavelengths of light are scattered more). Whats the Difference Between Vitiligo and Albinism? An iris with little melanin appears blue, while those with more little melanin appear green or hazel. Gray eyes are common in parts of Central Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and among the Algerian Shawia people in Northwest Africa. 4. Verywell Health's content is for informational and educational purposes only. Arina was adopted by a family in Toronto four years . "From this we can conclude that all blue-eyed individuals are linked to the same ancestor," said Eiberg. Sitting sixth on this list, Denmark's population is 60 percent blue-eyed. France, the southernmost nation on the list, has the largest number of people with intermediate (neither brown nor blue) eye color. Time for Heating Systems 101. Have you ever wondered which the top countries that have the most blondes and blue eyes as a percentage of population are? 2012;36(2):234-240. doi:10.1007/s00266-011-9793-x, Di Stasio E, Maggi D, Berardesca E, et al. This one person with a genetic mutation had children, and the trait was passed to the next generation. [12], Eye color is an inherited trait determined by multiple genes. SEE RELATED: How color contact lenses can make anyone's eyes blue. Researchers found that only 17 to 22 percent of white cats with non-blue eyes are born deaf. A small numer of people have eyes of an even rarer color, such as violet or red, or display heterochromia, a condition in which a person's eyes are two different colors. Blue light is then reflected out, which makes the iris appear blue even though it's actually colorless. Photochromic lenses are another way to protect blue eyes from UV radiation. Another hypothesis about heterochromia is that it can result from a viral infection in utero affecting the development of one eye, possibly through some sort of genetic mutation. Both parents have to pass along the blue eye gene in order for their child to have blue eyes. Through the analysis of ancient DNA, a 2020 study published in Experimental Dermatology suggested that the common gene for blue eye color likely originated in the Near East and arrived in Europe around 42,000 years ago, after the exodus out of Africa. Amber 5.0%. Most people have brown tint in the back layer, but lighter eyes have less tint in the front layer. If there is enough or too much melanin, the eyes are brown and black. Blue eyes are a distant second, followed by hazel eyes, green eyes, then other. This last category includes amber eyes, gray eyes and even violet eyes. [66] 56% of Slovenes have blue/green eyes. The eyes of some pigeons contain yellow fluorescing pigments known as pteridines. the admirers of blue eyes and fair hair were disgusted . Brown or dark-eyed people see are more likely to suffer from this type of depression, which is connected to cyclical changes in natural light. The incidence of blue eyes continues to decline among American children. This is why many babies are born with blue eyes, only to have their eye color change as their irises develop more melanin throughout early childhood. Changes (lightening or darkening) of eye color during early childhood, puberty, pregnancy, and sometimes after serious trauma (like heterochromia) suggest that eyes sometimes change color under certain circumstances, due to chemical reactions or hormonal changes within the body. Is eye color determined by genetics? Blue is the second most common and brown tops the list with 45% of the U.S. population and possibly almost 80% worldwide. Image credit: Aleksandar Mijatovic via Shutterstock. Grndl M, Knoll S, Eisenmann-Klein M, Prantl L. The blue-eyes stereotype: do eye color, pupil diameter, and scleral color affect attractiveness? This occurs in humans and certain breeds of domesticated animals and affects less than 1 percent of the world's population. Black is not an eye color. Although these conditions cannot permanently change the color of the iris, they generally affect the eyes sclera or cornea. Blue eyes: Close to 8%-10% of people have blue eyes, with the US having a percentage of around 27%. Green eyes are common in Europe's Central, Western, and Northern regions. [62][63][64], Approximately 8% to 10% of the global population have blue eyes. SEE RELATED: Is blue the rarest eye color? [83], Eye color outside of the iris may also be symptomatic of disease. It's also the story of the bond she fights to maintain with her 10 year-old sister, Arina. The hazel eye color is primarily due to the combination of a decent amount of melanin and Rayleigh scattering. Similarly, people with hazel, gray and green eyes have varying quantities of tint in the front layer. Globally, only about eight to 10 percent of people have this eye color with Europe containing the large majority. Some speculate that this change in environment was a contributing factor. [46], Green eyes are most common in Northern, Western and Central Europe. This color transition can take anywhere from a few months to three years to run its course. For example, Asians typically have brown eyes, while Europeans are more likely to have eyes of blue or other lighter hues. Vika is the story of her final year at a rural boarding school in Eastern Ukraine. It is, therefore, interesting to note how eye colors vary worldwide and the different percentages of people in the world that have brown, blue, hazel, amber, green, and gray eyes. If this gene activation never happens, a baby's eyes will stay blue. [93] There are also other studies that challenge these findings. One thing that truly sets people apart is their eye color. They lower your risk of developing cataracts, for instance. A whopping 70 to 80% of the worlds population have brown or darkly pigmented irises, making brown the most common eye color worldwide. The amount of damage depends on wavelength and exposure time . Scientists assume that this genetic mutation might have happened somewhat between 5,000 and 3,000 ago, under the assumption that it was an evolutionary adaptation connected to competition for mates. [8], The genetics and inheritance of eye color in humans is complicated. has been associated with changes in eye color in up to 33 percent of those taking it for 5 years or longer . The gray-eyed have little or no melanin in their iris but have more collagen in the stroma part of the eye. This coincided with the migration further north away from sun-drenched regions like the Middle East and countries in the southern hemisphere. [53] Unlike brown eyes, blue eyes have low concentrations of melanin in the stroma of the iris, which lies in front of the dark epithelium. Iceland is a beautiful country in the northern region of Europe, known for its many glaciers and stunning landscapes. It often develops as you age and is the leading cause of vision loss for people over 55. If you have dark brown hair and brown eyes, you have something in common with most people around the globe. According to medical science, people with light-colored eyes such as blue, green or grey have a higher risk of eye cancer. Don't It Make My Brown Eyes Blue Crystal GayleIt was released in June 1977 and reached Number 1 on the Country Billboard Charts, Number 2 on the Billboard Ho. Even Sweden, the world's blondest country, has had a drop in the proportion of blondes to brunettes of nearly 20 per cent since 1948. . Eye color in non-human animals is regulated differently. Researchers at the American Academy of Opthalmology have stated that everyone on planet earth had brown eyes around 10,000 years ago. Nothing to do with their mythical fiery temperament! [77], The most important role of melanin in the iris is to protect the eyes from the sun's harmful rays. And around 10%, 5%, and 2% . Blue 8.0%. Click to read the article and view the infographic. [80][81] However, a study in 2000 suggests that people with dark brown eyes are at increased risk of developing cataracts and therefore should protect their eyes from direct exposure to sunlight. For the shade of purple, see, "Brown eyes" redirects here. People with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor, according to new research. If you see a dark outline around your iris -- the colored part of your eye -- this is your limbal ring. It was created by the anthropologists Rudolf Martin and Bruno K Schultz in the first half of the 20th century. They studied the genes that coded blue eyes in all of these individuals. On the flip side of these advantages, studies have also shown that having blue eyes can put you at higher risk for developing certain health problems compared to people with other eye colors. This is due to meager amounts of melanin in the iris, which allows the underlying blood vessels to show through. Less melanin, the eyes are blue. [3]:9[6] The result is a "Tyndall blue" structural color that varies with external lighting conditions. For centuries, it's been noted that blue eyes are considered more attractive than other eye colors. [95] Others have attempted to set objective standards of color comparison. The higher the amount of melanin in the iris and the denser the texture of the melanin, the darker the color of a person's eyes; the same melanin concentration also depends on many factors such as hereditary and environmental ones. 8. They look blue because of how light is reflected. Comments. People with brown eyes have high concentrations of . [5] Neither blue nor green pigments are present in the human iris or vitreous humour. Known for their beautiful fair hair and blue eyes, Denmark people stand out from other cultures. [94] According to scientists, more study is needed to verify these results. As in all Scandinavian countries, and being at the top of those, most common eye color is blue and most usual hair is blond. Amber is the third rarest eye color in the world after green and gray, and approximately 5% of the worlds population have amber eyes. "Originally, we all had brown eyes," said Hans Eiberg, associate professor in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the university. Brown is the most common eye color in the United States, just as it is globally. Its the dominant eye color in people with Native American and African ancestry, as well as those with family trees that trace back to Asia, the Middle East, Central or South America and other nations where brown eye color is the most common. Contact lenses can give your eyes a hazel appearance. [22] Observing the iris of an infant from the side using only transmitted light with no reflection from the back of the iris, it is possible to detect the presence or absence of low levels of melanin. In most people, the back layer has at least some brown pigment in it, even if their eyes don't look brown. [19] [101], As the perception of color depends on viewing conditions (e.g., the amount and kind of illumination, as well as the hue of the surrounding environment), so does the perception of eye color. Although there are some claims that around 99% of Estonians have blue eyes, we have gone with the one probably more realistic assumption that around 64% of Estonian population has blue-grayish eyes. Denmark - Approximately 60%. A global view of the OCA2-HERC2 region and pigmentation. or brown eyes. 2011;27(6):609-613. doi:10.1002/dmrr.1214. Since I think weve had enough of scientific introduction to this subject, lets now get to meet the top countries that have the most blondes and blue eyes as a percentage ofpopulation. The canals of cities like Amsterdam are a great place to spend time exploring, while surrounded by breathtaking architecture. Hearing Research. And when you meet a red head with blue eyes, you are looking at the rarest colour combination of all for human beings. See More by this Creator. Follow. One mutation 10,000 years ago has today resulted in almost 200 million pairs of blue eyes, and people with blue eyes have more blue-eyed children. Almost everyone (even people with blue or green eyes) has brown pigment in the back layer of the iris. Amber eyes have a little more melanin than hazel eyes, and still account for approximately 5% of the population. Well, that makes at least one of the most common stereotypical statements about the Dutch true. In the U.S., that proportion is higher, at about 27%. As that generation had children and moved around, the blue eye mutation continued to spread across many parts of the globe.