Have you ever wondered where your unique shade of eye color comes from? Here is a more in-depth look into some of the origins of the colors of our eyes, and why they are the way they are.

Our shade of eye color is usually the first thing we notice during new meetings - especially with the opposite sex. It’s a big part of what we find attractive, and as with nearly all physical attributes, it’s often a staple in one’s personality. Have you ever wondered where exactly your color came from? Eye color is so unique - much like our thumbprint. However, unlike our thumbprint, our eyes can actually change from infancy throughout our growth. Why are our eyes so unpredictable? And where are these colors coming from?

The part of your eye that has color is called the iris. Color pigment, called melanin, produce the cells in your iris to give you your signature color. Interestingly enough, there are actually only three possible color pigmentation's available: green, brown, or blue. However, we all know that there are eyes out there that can not simply be described in one of the three above categories. What about hazel? Or grey? Of course, it all comes down to science.

It may seem like an obvious assumption that our eye color comes from our parents. Which it does. However, this process isn’t like mixing paint; it’s just not so "obvious". For eye color, everyone has a gene - as most of us know. However, if we’re looking a bit deeper into the science of eye color, every gene has two alleles available - out of four options. Brown and Blue are two of the color options for the possible alleles; they make up one locus. Green and lighter colored are the other two color options for the alleles, and they make up the other locus. The multitude of combinations of these alleles are what determine the exact mix of paint we’ll receive from our parents. In total, there are officially sixteen colors we could possible have.

While there are sixteen different options, the majority - twelve out of the sixteen - consist of some form of brown. The reason for this is that brown is a dominant gene, while blue is a recessive. Therefore, when someone has any combination of the color Brown in their alleles, most likely the outcome will be some kind of brown - even if it’s a very dark blue or a brownish-green (i.e. the color: Hazel). Although science claims there are only sixteen options, all of these eye colors are approximations. Therefore, every combination of alleles aren’t exactly the same.

On top of the fact that our eyes are all so uniquely made, they also have the ability to change colors! In the first year of our life, the melanin in the outer layers of our irises take awhile to begin to brown. Therefore, oftentimes babies are born with blue eyes - which can sometimes darken up as they grow. However, do adults eye colors change as well? The answer is: sort of. Our pupils tend to change in size, shape, and apparent color depending on several aspects, like: what we’re focusing on, emotions, etc. The reality is that the color does not really change; however, it appears to at times. For instance, when your pupil shrinks, all of the pigment gets compacted together, making the color appear darker.

Eye color is an incredibly interesting trait that we all have. Ultimately, if you do not like your eye color, it is possible to make it appear differently: simply wear colored contact lenses. While prescription eyeglasses can’t change the color of your eyes, it is generally safer to order glasses online, rather than contacts. If you wish to get colored contacts, speak to a doctor first. Otherwise, enjoy your genetically inherited eye color!