Human eye color chart, with fun facts

Human eye color charts once were used to "predict" eye colors of children.

In the most simplified versions of these charts,brown eyesare considered dominant over both blue and green eyes. Andgreen eyesare thought to be dominant overblue eyes.

While these concepts generally are true, the genetics of howeye colorsare inherited turn out to be far more complicated than once thought.

你不能简单地确定大的眼睛颜色parents and parents, then calculate the odds of what color a baby's eyes will be. In fact, you can belong to a family with many generations of brown-eyed individuals and still end up with green or blue eyes.

Contrary to popular belief, it's also possible for two blue-eyed parents to have a brown-eyed child.

Eye colors depend on the amount of pigment (melanin) found in theirisand how it is distributed. Light gray-blue eyes contain much less pigment than extremely dark brown eyes. And there are many shades of eye color in between.

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Some people are even born with eyes of two different colors, a condition known asheterochromia.

Eye color percentages vary according to which population is studied. For example, the percentage of dark brown eyes found in Asian and African populations is much higher than in European populations.

And some day, blue may be a rare eye color. This is because more people now select mates outside usual cultural and ethic groups. So when a brown-eyed person marries someone with blue eyes, offspring are more likely to inherit the more dominant brown eyes.

Have routine eye exams

No matter what color your eyes are, take care of them to enjoy a lifetime of good vision. Have routine eye exams at least every two years.Click here to find an eye doctor near you.

Page updated June 2019