How Many Eye Colors are There? A Michigan Eye Doctor Explains

Eye Color Guide

While there is a limitless number of hues, shades, richness, and combinations of colors that make up your eye color, most people agree about how many eye colors there are in general. And that number is six: brown, hazel, blue, green, gray, and amber. 

Looking for more information about eye health in Michigan?

The Most Common Eye Colors

Generally, eye color depends on how much of the pigment melanin is in the iris, the colored part of the eyes. A small number of people may notice their eye color changing with age. The more pigment, the darker the eyes.  The only pigment is brown; the color of the eyes is determined by the level of pigmentation in the eyes. Research shows that up to 16 genes may influence eye color.

There is no such thing as black irises. Eyes that appear to be black are simply very dark brown. 

Brown Eyes

Brown eyes are by far the most common eye color. In fact, approximately 80 percent of the world’s population has brown eyes. Because they are deeply pigmented, brown eyes are more protected from the sun than other colored eyes. 

Blue Eyes 

There’s a saying out there that all people with blue eyes are related. Legend has it that at one time, everyone had brown eyes, but a genetic mutation in a single individual 10,000 years ago led to blue eyes. Whether that’s true or not, we do not know for sure. What we do know is that about 10 percent of the world’s population has blue eyes today. 

Hazel Eyes 

The word “hazel” doesn’t really describe a color as much as a combination of colors. Hazel eyes have hints of green, blue, gold, and brown. About 5 percent of the population has hazel eyes. 

Amber Eyes

The number of people who have true amber eyes is unclear, but it is definitely one of the rarest colors. Unlike hazel eyes, amber eyes do not contain hints of other colors. 

Gray Eyes

Only 3 percent of the world’s population has gray eyes, which understandably may be confused with blue eyes. It is believed that people with gray eyes have even less melanin in their eyes than people with blue eyes.

Green Eyes

Although it may not appear to be so, green eyes are the least common eye color. Green eyes have more melanin than blue eyes, but only 2 percent of the people in the world have green eyes. 

Eye Color Percentages

Different eye colors and how common each one is by percentage of the population.

Are Purple Eyes Possible?

While naturally occurring purple eyes are extremely rare, they can appear in individuals with certain genetic conditions. People with albinism sometimes have eyes that appear violet due to the way light interacts with the lack of pigment in their irises. Additionally, lighting conditions and variations in eye pigmentation can sometimes create a purplish hue. In most cases, what appears to be purple eyes is a mix of blue and red tones reflecting light in a unique way.

Why Do People Have Different Eye Colors?

Eye color is determined by genetics and the amount and type of pigment in the iris. The main factors influencing eye color include:

1. Melanin Levels – The more melanin in the iris, the darker the eye color. Brown eyes have the highest concentration, while blue eyes have very little.
2. Rayleigh Scattering – This optical phenomenon affects how light interacts with the iris. In blue and green eyes, light is scattered to create different shades.
3. Genetics – Multiple genes, particularly OCA2 and HERC2, influence eye color by controlling melanin production.
4. Age and Changes Over Time – Some babies are born with blue or gray eyes that darken as melanin develops in early childhood. In rare cases, eye color can change due to injury, illness, or genetic conditions.

These factors combine to create the wide range of eye colors seen in humans, from brown, blue, and green to rare shades like gray, amber, or hazel.

Heterochromatic Eyes 

While the above is a general idea of how many human eye colors there are, truly no two pairs of eyes are alike, which is part of what makes each human wonderfully unique. In some cases, combinations of various colors may make identifying the eye color impossible, and some eyes that appear hazel may look blue depending on the season or clothing. 

Perhaps most fascinating are heterochromatic eyes, where one person has different-colored eyes. Other than their appearance, heterochromatic eyes are no different than any other eyes.  

However, people with such eyes tend to get a lot of attention. Celebrities known for their heterochromatic eyes include: 

• Dominic Sherwood, whose left eye is half blue and half brown. 
• Kate Bosworth, who has one eye that is half blue and half hazel. 
• Jane Seymour, who has a brown left eye and green right eye. 
• Max Scherzer, whose eyes are stunningly different, with one dark brown and the other light blue/gray. 

Colored Eye Contacts

Ever wondered what you would look like with a different eye color? With modern contact lenses, people can change their eye color by just popping in contacts. Colored contacts can range from common natural eye colors to colors such as purple or red. Ask your eye doctor about getting prescription colored contact lenses.

Interested in Getting Colored Contacts in Michigan?

Book an appointment