Central Heterochromia: When to Worry About Eye Color

Everything comes down to Melanin, the pigment responsible for a person’s eyes color. In central heterochromia, melanin is offset unevenly through iris, generally more concentrated around the pupil. This contrast creates a notable inner ring.

Scientists believe that several genes influence eye pigmentation and a minor variation can lead to this rare condition.

In most cases, central heterochromy is congenital, which means that you were born with. Congenital heterochromy often appears in people of European origin and generally does not appear with other symptoms.

Heterochromia acquired

However, acquired heterochromia can develop later in life due to eye injury, medical conditions or environmental factors.

Conditions such as pigment dispersion syndrome – which affects iridial pigmentation – and certain eye drops used to treat glaucoma can also cause changes in the color of the iris.

An uneven distribution of melanin can cause color variations that affect a single eye or create contrasting colors in the same iris.