Gray, black, brown, blue - each person has a certain shade of eyes, received by inheritance. But quite unusual colors are also found in nature - for example, purple. The lilac hue is the result of a genetic mutation of "Alexandria origin".
Newborns' eyes are usually gray or blue, but after six months of age the color changes. It is the rich purple hue with dark or copper notes that appears during puberty due to double genes.
This feature does not have any effect on visual function. Read more about purple eye color below.
Violet eyes are rare in humans, but they do occur; they develop based on a double genetic lineage. This mutation does not indicate ophthalmological problems, but it may be associated with cardiovascular pathologies.
A look into history
Previously, only people with brown eyes lived on earth, but then the earth collided with a comet, the ice age began, and active genetic mutations began to occur.
In difficult new conditions, only people with brown eyes had enough strength to survive - they coped with difficult circumstances themselves and helped others do it.
Gradually, other mutating changes appeared - blue, blue, gray, as a result of marriages of people with different shades of eyes, children with different combinations of these colors began to be born.
What Science Says
From the point of view of biology as a science, the shade of a person’s eyes is determined by the pigmentation of the iris. Taking into account the type of pigment substance, the characteristics of its distribution, a certain shade appears.
The vessels and fibers of the iris are important, since the shades of the shell depend on the presence of the dye and the density of the fibers - they can be blue, brown, green, yellow amber, nut or honey, blue.
By the way. Not only lilac, but also emerald eye color is rare - it is found only in 2% of the world's population.
Some researchers say that during the Inquisition, a lot of red-haired, green-eyed girls were burned, which is why today this color is so rare (the shade of the eyes is inherited).
What color are people's eyes: four main shades
Europeans have eye colors ranging from brown to blue. Our ancestors had exclusively brown eyes. And any deviation from this was considered something extraordinary. Nowadays, science can explain this “miracle” by relying on mutation.
Nowadays it is no longer shocking to see blue-eyed blondes or men with bright green eyes. But among the inhabitants of the world there are also those who have unique organs of vision.
The shade of the eyes is determined by 2 important factors - the pigmentation of the iris shell, as well as its ability to scatter light passing through it. Genes become “responsible” for the amount of melanin pigment. The greater the amount of this component in the body, the darker it is.
The color of the iris may change depending on the environment. If you go into a dark room, the iris becomes darker. In sunlight - brighter and lighter. The ability of the eyes to change depending on the ambient light is not a gift of nature, but a physiological feature. Those with this ability are endowed with an iris with a double layer of shell.
Unusual Mutations
The shade of the iris is largely determined by abnormal and simply unusual gene mutations. With aniridia, for example, there is no iris - partially or completely.
This disease is associated with congenital pathological defects and a number of other problems such as photophobia, cataracts, and changes in the structure of the cornea. There are people in nature with simply different eyes.
A frequently encountered point of view says that there are no lilac eyes in nature. For example, Elizabeth Taylor made them with color filters; later, actresses and mere mortals began to use special lenses to change the color of the iris.
In the 14th century in Alexandria there was an outbreak of a strange new disease for that time - it’s hard to say whether it’s true or not, but so says the legend.
After the population of the village recovered, babies with gray and blue eyes began to be born, but then the color of the shell changed to purple.
The children's vision and health were normal, including in adulthood. Sometimes purple eye color is associated with Marchesani syndrome, but this syndrome is already a serious and unpleasant problem.
The pathology appears very rarely, it is inherited, people grow poorly, have underdeveloped limbs and poor vision.
They also say that those with eyes of a rare violet hue live in the mountains of Kashmir. India has an unusual climate and thin air, due to which the corresponding mutations supposedly develop.
True or not? Kashmiris, like most Asians, have brown, gray and blue eyes, but not often.
Purple eye color: the myth of its origin
Lilac coloring of the iris is extremely rare. The reason for the magical colors is the reduced melanin content. There are a number of theories (plausible and not so plausible) as to why people are born with purple eyes. Most of them are based on legends rather than scientific facts.
According to one version, in the high mountainous region of India called Kashmir, people with unusual eyes lived. It was believed that the iris acquires its violet hue due to rarefied air and a specific climate. Allegedly, such conditions caused a mutation in the genes responsible for eye color.
In reality, Kashmiris have brown eyes, as do most Asians. Only a few can boast of the gray or blue color of the iris, which is surprising for this area. In a “set” with dark skin it looks magical and bewitching. But Kashmiris do not have violet eyes.
There is another mysterious legend associated with the lilac iris. Allegedly, Alexandria was the first girl with a mystical shade of eyes. She was born after unexplained flashes of light appeared in the sky. Subsequently, the girl’s four daughters inherited the unique color. It is believed that this is a kind of mutation.
The legend has survived to this day and is reflected in indigo children, who allegedly also have violet eyes. Despite the huge number of different versions confirming the existence of an amazing shade of the iris, there is no natural lilac color of the shell in nature.
Popular eye shades
Basic shades of the iris:
- Blue - it is obtained as a result of a gene mutation; it has existed for more than 10 thousand years.
- Blue – there is little melamine, the iris is usually brown. It is not the pigment itself that is blue; the corresponding visual effects are obtained by scattering light.
- Gray is the most common and at the same time rare at the same time. The fact is that the gray shade is constantly changing - taking into account clothing, weather, nature, mood, well-being of the owner, it can become more heavenly or asphalt.
- Green is a rare variation; green-eyed people usually have red or blond hair.
- Brown is the main pigment, the most common shade.
- Yellow - the amber color of the iris is as unusual as lilac, but usually causes less surprise.
Basic eye colors
Ophthalmologists count 8 regular colors, which have many shades. As noted above, the color will depend on how much melanin is in the iris. Let's look at these colors.
Brown
The most common shade on all continents.
It differs from other shades in that there is a lot of melanin in the iris.
People with brown eyes are found on all continents - both in hot countries, where there is a lot of bright sun, and in the far north, where there is just as much blinding white snow.
It is dark brown eyes that are the most “useful”, they are able to protect a person from a large amount of light.
You definitely didn't know about this! Brown eyes are actually blue. It's all about the brown pigment, which gives the iris a brown tint. There is an operation to turn brown eyes blue using a laser.
Blue
It is interesting to note that there is simply no blue pigment in the iris.
Blue eye color indicates lower density of stromal fibers and low melanin content.
As a result, the output resulting from the refraction of light produces a beautiful blue tint.
The further these fibers are located to each other, the richer the blue color will be. It is very rare to meet people with cornflower blue eyes.
Blue
This eye color is obtained if the density of the iris fibers is higher than in the case of a pronounced blue color.
The stromal fibers themselves have a bluish tint, as a result, light is reflected from them, and the eyes turn out blue.
Blue color is widespread among Europeans (today up to 99% of native Estonians have blue eyes, the same could be said about 92% of the inhabitants of Denmark in the 70s of the last century) and residents of the Middle East.
Blue eyes attract us with their allure and beauty. Charm and mystery are the characteristics we associate with such people.
There is a direction in psychology that deals with the relationship between eye color and a person’s character. Blue-eyed people are credited with prudence, leadership, and a practical attitude to life. Whether this is actually true or not is difficult to prove. A person’s life, its circumstances, genetics - each person is individual, as well as character traits.
Green
It occurs more often in females than in males.
Green light is produced by mixing blue light from the stroma and a brownish pigment called lipofuscin found in the outer layer of the iris.
It is almost impossible to find bright green eyes; mostly they will be light green shades.
Only about 2% of people living on our planet are lucky to have green eyes. These lucky ones live on the European continent.
That's for sure! Green eyes are often found on red-haired girls. This combination of hair and eye color is considered natural.
Grey
This shade depends on the same density of fibrous stroma in the iris. The higher it is, the further from blue and closer to gray the color will be. This is the most common shade among residents of Eastern Europe, including Russia.
Amber
It is difficult to meet people with such eyes on the street or in a cafe. These eyes are light brown in color, sometimes with a copper or golden tint.
Bolotny
Several shades give the final result a marsh color. Thanks to the corresponding analogies, this color is also called nut or beer.
Combinations of gray, blue and blue give such an unusual shade. The iris of swamp eyes is usually heterogeneous and has many pigment spots.
Black
There is so much melanin in the iris of such eyes that the incoming light is almost completely absorbed. This color is widespread among the Asian population. Children born in the countries of this region are mostly black-haired and black-eyed.
Important! The more melanin in our organs, the better protected we are from harmful ultraviolet rays. This is why the vast majority of Africans have black skin and eyes.
Black eyes attract us with their depth and mystery. Entire works of art are dedicated to such eyes - songs, poems, paintings.
Albinos
Some people with purple irises are albinos. There is even a disease called albinism, which develops as a result of genetic disorders that affect the production of melanin.
The lack of pigment is the reason for the red tint of the eyes, since in this case the blood vessels are visible through the iris. But if the blue collagen in the eyes is reflected more strongly than most, the iris may appear lilac.
The violet tint is also associated with photosensitivity, as a result of which light begins to penetrate the iris and causes the appearance of a violet tint.
What eye shade is the least common?
Purple is a rare color, but there are other infrequent effects of gene mutations. An example is the red iris, which occurs in albino people who lack the natural pigment of their hair and skin. Red color is nothing more than blood in the small vessels of the iris.
Other unusual shades are black and amber, which are also very rare. Only about 2% of people on the planet have green eyes.
Any genetic mixtures of parents can also produce unusual combinations - for example, yellow, amber, tea. The reason is the mixing of shades and individual characteristics of the body. Naturally, not only relatively neutral honey and marsh eyes are obtained, but also turquoise eyes.
Purple eyes - myth or reality
10/27/2020 Scientist cat Nature
People can have different eye colors: some have black eyes, some have brown, some have been blessed by nature with blue eyes, others have green. But have you ever seen someone with naturally purple eyes? Most likely no. Although this eye color does exist. The reasons for its appearance include two components: one of them is associated with myth, the other with reality.
The possibility of having purple eyes is associated with a disorder called
"The Origin of Alexandria". Although the presence of such a disease is unknown today, it is quite possible that it existed in the past. According to legend, several centuries ago in a small Egyptian village there was a mysterious flash of light in the sky, to which all the inhabitants were exposed. After this, they began to have children with pale skin and violet eyes. The first such child was a girl named Alexandria, born in England in 1329. Her eyes were gray or blue at birth and then turned purple within six months. Subsequently, the inheritance of eye color was passed on to her four daughters. However, they were healthy and lived to be a hundred years old. As you know, people with violet eyes have perfect vision. Although it may be a natural condition and not the result of a genetic defect or mutation.
Purple eye color can be explained from a medical point of view. It's connected with
Albinism is a genetic disorder caused by an altered gene that prevents the development of melanin. This condition results in a lack of pigmentation in the skin, hair and eyes. Along with these symptoms, a person with albinism may have purple eyes. Essentially, the lack of melanin gives rise to red eyes, as all the blood vessels become visible through the iris. Sometimes blue collagen is reflected more strongly in the eyes. However, in very rare cases, red and blue hues can combine to form the color purple. But there is another explanation. Albino people suffer from hypersensitivity to sunlight. The iris allows light to enter the eye, and this is what can contribute to the appearance of the color violet.
Speaking about such a genetic mutation, one cannot fail to mention the famous actress Elizabeth Taylor. Her violet eyes, white skin and dark hair captivated millions of people around the world and brought her immense popularity. Although there is currently a lot of debate about whether Taylor's eyes were naturally purple. The naturalness of the color is supported by the fact that contact lenses did not yet exist at that time. Production of the lenses began in 1983, and Elizabeth Taylor, with purple eyes, appeared on screen as Cleopatra as early as 1963. Many, however, believe that her eyes were not violet, but grey-blue. After all, as you know, purple is one of the intermediate shades between blue and gray.
So, the basis for the presence of violet eyes is a genetic defect. The conditions of its origin are associated both with a legend, which, unfortunately, cannot be verified, and with albinism, which most of us have a clear idea of. Be that as it may, the possibility of having natural violet eyes is not excluded, although this is a very rare condition.
Source: fb.ru
nature
Lenses
Today, you can give your eyes almost any shade using lenses - there are options for permanent and temporary wear. If you want to stand out from the crowd, then why not, the main thing is to use high-quality products and not forget about the rules for their use.
Showbiz stars and young people who want to stand out from the crowd are very fond of such changes in their image. Retouchers and photographers process images in special programs; it is possible to change the shade of the iris in the video.
So if you want to briefly change the shade of your eyes, use lenses or Photoshop. Most colored lenses are intended for one-day wear; it is not recommended to exceed this period.
And remember - not all rare shades that you see in the photo are the same in nature.
