Having one eye of each color is a rare feature called heterochromia, which can occur due to a genetic inheritance or due to diseases and lesions that reach the eyes, and can also occur in cat dogs.
The color difference can be between the two eyes, when called complete heterochromia, in which case each eye has a different color than the other, or the difference can be in one eye, when called sectoral hetechromia, in a single eye has 2 colors, also born or altered by disease.
- When a person is born with one eye of each color.
- It does not affect vision or eye health.
- But it is always important to see the doctor to check for any genetic diseases or syndromes that cause the color change.
Heterochromia is mainly due to a genetic inheritance that causes differences in the amount of melanin in each eye, which is the same pigment that gives skin color, therefore, the more melanin there is, the darker the color of the eyes and the same rule applies to skin color.
In addition to genetic inheritance, the difference in the eyes can also be caused by diseases such as Ota nevo, neurofibromatosis, Horner syndrome and Wagenburg syndrome, which are diseases that can also affect other areas of the body and cause complications such as glaucoma and the eye. Tumors. . Learn more about neurofibromatosis.
Other factors that can cause acquired heterochromia include glaucoma, diabetes, inflammation and bleeding in the iris, stroke, or foreign bodies in the eye.
If there is a difference in eye color from birth, it is probably a genetic inheritance that does not affect the health of the baby’s eyes, but it is important to see your doctor to confirm the absence of other genetic diseases or syndromes that may cause this characteristic.
However, if the change occurs during childhood, adolescence, or adulthood, it’s probably a sign that there’s a health problem in your body, and it’s important to see your doctor to identify what changes the color of an eye, especially when accompanied by symptoms such as eye pain and redness.
See other causes of eye problems at: