As for prevalence, it is surprising: the number of gray-eyed people does not exceed 1 percent of the entire world population. Joinfo.com shares other interesting facts about this eye shade and the people who have it.
Gray color saturation changes
Eye color largely depends on the level of melanin contained in them. It is assumed that light gray eyes have almost no such pigment at all, while in dark gray eyes it is located in the anterior layer of the iris. Scientists say that many children are born with gray eyes, and then the amount of pigmentation increases over time, and it changes to the present one.
Blue eye color.
Science says this shade does not exist in nature, since it is a genetic mutation. The melanin in the iris of the blue-eyed part of the population contains very little, while the connective tissue is quite dense, the reflection of light from it gives the blue color to the eyes. The brightness of the iris depends on the number of collagen fibers - the more there are, the lighter the shade. People with blue eyes are most often found in Europe, and very rarely among Asians.
Myths and superstitions about people with gray eyes
Some folklore stories claim that men with gray eyes are more likely than others to maintain marital fidelity. Other tales make it clear that gray-eyed women are especially greedy.
People with gray eyes are also said to not have a sharp mind and are usually less intellectually developed. However, in Ancient Greece, gray eyes were associated with wisdom.
Scientific research conducted back in the 1990s actually proved that people with gray eyes think more slowly, but more deeply and strategically.
You might also be interested in facts about people with green eyes. It turns out that they also have a lot in common with each other.
Grey eyes. Character of the owner
Even without talking to a person, you can learn a lot about his character, habits and preferences. Gestures, facial expressions, movements, manner of dressing and speaking - all this, one way or another, characterizes people, but it is the eyes that will more accurately tell all the information about the owner. You can learn to control your feelings and emotions, but the “mirror of the soul” cannot lie. Therefore, even in ancient times, many sages, peering into the eyes of passers-by, recognized their character and even fate.
Gray eyes - origin
During archaeological excavations and research, scientists have proven that initially all the inhabitants of our planet had brown eyes. During the Ice Age, humanity was in danger of extinction, and then mutations came to the rescue, creating the gray color. Such people had excess energy, they could lead crowds and were generators of ideas. It was the gray eyes, whose owners had a firmer and more decisive character, that made it possible to survive in that difficult time. In marriages between gray-eyed and brown-eyed, other shades appeared: blue, green, marsh.
Gray eyes - character
Owners of such eyes place their main bet on their intelligence, because their intuition often fails them. Thoughtfulness, curiosity, determination are the main traits of their character. Such people are not used to hiding behind someone's back and burying their heads in the sand when any problems arise. They do not put things off until later, but decide everything here and now. Sometimes a person with gray eyes seems insensitive, and the presence of a cold achromatic pigment is to blame. He cannot publicly show love and tenderness, but still remains devoted and faithful to his family and loved ones.
Astrological point of view
It is generally accepted that all shades belong to one planet or another. Gray eyes are under the auspices of Mercury, this is a very strong and influential celestial body, imparting determination and quick thinking. Such people cannot live without information, they look for it everywhere, perhaps that is why they are lucky in life. In those matters where the intervention of reason is required, a person with gray eyes is at his best; he will quickly resolve all problems. But as for feelings and relationships with the opposite sex, here he becomes absolutely helpless.
Character
Dark gray eyes are influenced not only by the fast Mercury, but also by the persistent and courageous Saturn. Such people are characterized by wisdom and determination, dedication and courage, and they are also very jealous. True, they strive to hide their feelings for the opposite sex from strangers, but still the other half will have a hard time if suitors are hanging around. There is a positive side to this - gray-eyed people are monogamous in life. Having met their soulmate, they do not pay any attention to others.
The attractiveness of gray eyes
The color of a spring or stormy sky, the sea in cloudy weather - all these are gray eyes. Photos of such people have a special magnetism and attractiveness. Gray eyes are very interesting to watch, because their shade changes depending on the mood of the owner: in a bad mood they darken, in a good mood they lighten, and in moments of rage a metallic sheen appears. In any case, gray-eyed people are true friends and will always lend a helping hand.
Interesting facts about eye color
Before we begin listing the most unusual and interesting facts about eye color, we should tell you why eye color varies among people.
Eye color is a characteristic determined by the pigmentation of the iris.
The iris of the eye is a thin, mobile diaphragm of the eye with a hole (pupil) in the center, located behind the cornea, in front of the lens, between the anterior and posterior chambers of the eye. The iris is almost completely opaque to light.
The iris consists of two layers:
• anterior layer, mesodermal;
• posterior layer, ectodermal.
The mesodermal layer consists of the outer border region and stroma. The anterior layer contains chromatophores containing the pigment melanin. Eye color depends on the distribution of melanin.
Stroma is a thin plexus of fibers. Some fibers in the iris describe circles, with most fibers directed radially towards the pupil. In dark-colored eyes, the stroma often contains pigment granules. Albino eyes and blue eyes lack melanin.
The iris does not contain green or blue pigments. The coloring pigment is melanin; at certain concentrations, the eye color changes from light brown to almost black.
It is interesting that all newborn children's eyes have a gray-blue color, since there is no pigment in the stroma of the iris. The color of the iris changes and forms by the third to sixth month of a child’s life, which is associated with the accumulation of melanocytes in the iris. The final eye color in humans is established by the age of 10-12 years.
The most unusual and interesting fact about eye color: all people are blue-eyed. Brown eyes are actually blue underneath the brown pigment, which is the result of a genetic mutation, which will be discussed below in the section on brown eyes.
Heterochromia
Different eye colors are explained by the fact of excess or deficiency of melanin due to diseases, injuries, and genetic mutations. The phenomenon of different eye colors is called heterochromia. With partial heterochromia, the iris is divided into two parts. With absolute heterochromia, a person has two different colors of the iris: one can be blue, the other can be brown. There are 1% of people on the planet with this unusual deviation.
In bright light or extreme cold, a person's eye color changes. This interesting phenomenon is called a chameleon.
The minimum duration of eye contact with a person you meet for the first time is four seconds. This is exactly how long it takes to determine the color of his eyes.
Eye color indicates geographic heredity. People with blue eyes are more common in the northern regions, with brown eyes - in places with a temperate climate, people with black eyes live in the equator region. Most people with blue eyes live in the Baltic countries. Interesting fact: in Estonia, 99% of residents have blue eyes.
There is a medical laser correction procedure that allows you to change eye color.
Brown eye color
Hazel (brown) eye color is actually blue. In this case, the outer layer of the iris contains a significant amount of melanin, resulting in the absorption of both high- and low-frequency light. Reflected light, in total, leads to the appearance of brown (brown) color.
Researchers have established an interesting fact: 6-10 thousand years ago, all the inhabitants of the planet had brown eyes. Later, a genetic mutation appeared in the HERC2 gene, whose carriers decreased the production of melanin in the iris, which led to the appearance of a blue color.
Brown is the most common eye color on the planet. There is a laser procedure that can remove pigment and make your eyes blue. It is impossible to return the previous color after the procedure.
People with brown eyes inspire more trust among others than blue-eyed people - this interesting fact was established by Japanese psychologists.
50% of brown-eyed people are reserved. Dark-eyed people are hardy and persistent, but in crisis situations they are irritable.
Black eye color
The structure of the iris of people with black eyes is similar to the structure of brown-eyed people. However, the concentration of melanin in it is so high that the light falling on it is virtually completely absorbed. Black eye color is most common among representatives of the Mongoloid race in East, Southeast and South Asia. In these regions, the iris of newborn children is already saturated with melanin.
Swamp (hazel) eye color
Marsh (hazel) eye color is a mixed color, the reason for its appearance is explained by the moderate content of melanin in the outer layer of the iris. Depending on the lighting, the swamp eye color can acquire a brownish-green, golden and brown tint. Walnut color is a combination of brown, blue or light blue.
Blue eye color
Blue eye color is the result of light scattering in the stroma. The lower the density of the stroma, the richer the blue color. The outer layer of the vessels of the iris, formed from collagen fibers, is dark blue in color. If the fibers of the outer layer of the iris have a low melanin content and low density, the eye has a blue color, despite the fact that the iris contains neither blue nor cyan pigments.
Blue eye color
Blue eye color, as opposed to blue, is explained by the fact of a higher density of collagen fibers in the stroma. The higher the fiber density, the lighter the color.
Blue eye color appeared due to a mutation in the HERC2 gene, as a result of which the production of melanin in the iris decreased. This mutation arose approximately 6-10 thousand years ago. This fact was established by a group of Danish scientists at the University of Copenhagen led by Associate Professor Hans Eiberg in 2008.
75% of native Germans have blue eyes.
Interestingly, most people with gray eyes are determined and resilient.
Gray eye color
Gray eye color is similar to blue, but the fiber density of the outer layer is higher. If the density is not so high, the eye color will be gray-blue. Gray eye color is most common among residents of Northern and Eastern Europe, in certain regions of North-West Africa, as well as among residents of Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
Red eye color
The most unusual and interesting eye color, red, is usually found in albinos. Due to the lack of melanin, the iris of albinos is transparent and appears red due to the blood vessels. In some cases, red, mixed with the blue color of the stroma, gives a violet eye color. However, such deviations occur in an extremely small number of people.
Yellow eye color
Yellow eye color is extremely rare. The yellow color is formed when the vessels of the iris contain the very pale pigment lipofuscin (lipochrome). However, in most cases, the fact of this eye color is explained by the presence of kidney diseases.
Amber eye color
The amber color of the eyes is also explained by the presence of lipochrome in the iris, which is also contained in green eyes. The amber eye color has a monotonous light yellow-brown color, sometimes a reddish-copper or golden-green hue.
Green eye color
The green color of the eyes is explained by the fact that they contain little melanin. The outer layer of the iris contains an unusual light brown or yellow pigment called lipofuscin. In combination with the blue or cyan color resulting from scattering in the stroma, the result is green.
Interestingly, pure green eye color is extremely rare: the color of the iris is usually uneven, which leads to the appearance of numerous shades. From the conclusions of research conducted jointly by Swiss and Israeli scientists, it follows: the dominance of the red hair color gene of one of the parents in the genotype may play a role in the formation of green eye color. These findings are indirectly confirmed by the high prevalence of green eyes among red-haired people.
1.6% of people on the planet have green eyes; it is the rarest, as it is eradicated in the family by the dominant brown gene.
People with green eyes are more common in Northern and Central Europe, much less common in Southern Europe. When conducting statistical studies of the adult population of Holland and Iceland in 2007, a curious fact was established: green eyes in men, residents of these countries, are much less common than in women. The results of the study were published in the Nature Genetic section of the Nature.Com portal.
What affects eye color?
No one will deny that eyes are very attractive, and we often hear: “He (she) has such eyes!” Sometimes eye color is simply mesmerizing. It is customary to distinguish the following primary eye colors: brown, black, green, gray, blue. But there is also a wide variety of shades. Let's talk about what affects the color of the iris.
The shade of the iris depends on the content of the amount of melanin pigment. Albinos, due to genetic mutations, do not contain the required amount of this pigment in the iris, so their eyes have a slightly reddish tint. Blood vessels are visible through the translucent iris.
The genetic factor plays a big role. Dominant brown and black eye colors are typical for residents of most countries, mainly Asian, South America and Africa. Gray, blue and light blue shades are more common in the USA, the Caucasus, Northern Europe, the Baltic states, Iran and Afghanistan. Green is considered one of the rarest colors. Scientists say that a person's nationality plays a role in the formation of the color of the iris.
How to find out the eye color of your unborn child?
In this case, you should rely on the hereditary factor and dominant eye color. Parents with blue and brown eyes will have a child with brown eyes, because this is the dominant color. A couple with green and blue eyes has the same chance of having a child with both blue and green iris colors. The probability of having a baby with green eyes from a green-eyed mother and father is only 75%. In the remaining 25%, the child will have blue eyes. We write about averaged data; in each specific case, eye color is formed individually.
An interesting fact is that most newborns have blue eye color, which can change over time. This is due to the fact that melanocytes (special pigment-containing cells) begin to produce melanin not immediately, but gradually. Therefore, a child’s eye color may change over time, usually before the age of 3 years.
Amazing facts about eye color.
Scientists have found that more than 10 thousand years ago, the eye color of people from different parts of the planet was brown. Over time, for a number of reasons, for example, climate change and ecology, various kinds of genetic mutations began to occur and other eye colors appeared.
In only 1% of cases, people have different colors of the irises of the left and right eyes. Or one eye can combine two colors at once, for example, brown and green. This phenomenon is called heterochromia. Most often this is a congenital feature, but it can also be acquired as a result of eye injuries.
Can eye color change in an adult?
Surprisingly, this is possible under the influence of several factors:
- Age. Over the years, melanin production decreases, causing the iris to become lighter.
- Eye diseases. For example, the color of the iris may change due to glaucoma.
- Lighting. In the dark, the pupil dilates, so even light eyes can appear very dark.
- Tears. Tears make the eyes brighter. This happens because they become moisturized, the white becomes lighter and the iris contrasts against its background.
- Colored contact lenses. A simple and safe way available to everyone. You can completely change your eye color or simply enhance your natural shade. To choose colored contact lenses, you need to consult an ophthalmologist.
