One of the features of appearance that distinguishes a person from others is the color of the eyes, or rather their iris. The most common eye color is brown, the rarest is green. But there is another rarity - people with different colors eye. This phenomenon is called heterochromia, but it occurs not only in humans, but also in animals. Heterochromia - what is it? What are the reasons for its occurrence? You will learn about all this from this article.
What is heterochromia?
Heterochromia - what is it? With this phenomenon, a person can observe different pigmentation of the eyes. It is no secret that the color of the iris is determined by the presence and distribution of a pigment called melanin. If this substance is in excess or deficiency, it can cause different eye colors. Heterochromia can be observed in only 1% of the population.
Causes
Heterochromia - what it is, you already understand, now let’s look at the reasons this phenomenon. In most cases, it is hereditary, and it can also be triggered by diseases, injuries or syndromes. Eye color can sometimes change as a result of certain injuries or illnesses.
So let's consider possible reasons eye color changes:
- Neurofibromatosis.
- Mild inflammation that affects only one eye.
- Injury.
- Glaucoma or medications used to treat it.
- Foreign object in the eye.
- Hereditary (familial) heterochromia.
- Hemorrhage (bleeding).
Who does it happen to?
Heterochromia - what is it, a disease or rare feature body? This phenomenon does not have any effect on the quality of vision, since a person is also able to perceive and see various shapes and colors, just like people with the same eye color.
Statistics have shown that different iris colors are more common in women than in men. Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence indicating the relationship between gender and heterochromia.
The most common is central when the change in color of the iris occurs towards the center.
In rare cases, heterochromia appears as a result of the development pathological processes V human body. In this case, this feature is considered as a symptom and the cause of its occurrence is treated, of course, after a thorough diagnosis.
Varieties
Depending on the causes of heterochromia, it is divided into three main types: simple, complicated and mechanical. Let's look at them in more detail.
Simple
This is the simplest version of this phenomenon. In this case, the person does not have other eye or systemic problems. IN in this case Different colors of the iris have been observed in a person since birth, and this in no way affects his health. However, this phenomenon is quite rare. It can be caused by weakness of the cervical sympathetic nerve. In some patients, additional changes were recorded - displacement eyeball, changes in skin color, constriction of the pupil, as well as ptosis of the eyelids. Sometimes weakness of the sympathetic nerve can lead to a decrease or complete cessation of sweating on one side, which indicates the development of Horner's symptom.
Complicated
This type is a consequence of this pathological condition manifested by the development of chronic lesions choroid eye. This disease can develop in young people; in most cases, only one eye is affected. This disease is practically undetectable. As a rule, Fuchs syndrome is accompanied by the following symptoms:
- Decreased vision.
- Cataract.
- Dystrophy of the iris.
- Small floating formations of white color.
- Gradual decrease in vision.
Acquired
This form can be caused by eye injuries, mechanical damage, tumor formations, inflammatory lesions. Also, such heterochromia in people (photo below) can develop due to the incorrect use of certain medicinal compounds.
Heterochromia eyes - forms
As mentioned above, this phenomenon can be either hereditary or acquired. Based on this information, according to the degree of coloring, three main forms can be distinguished - complete, sector and central heterochromia in humans.
Full
In this case, the irises of both eyes are painted in completely different colors, in other words, a person is endowed with eyes of completely different colors, and the color of the iris has different shades. The most famous is complete heterochromia, in which one eye blue color, the other is brown.
Partial heterochromia
With this form, one eye is painted with two completely different colors. This variety is also called sector heterochromia. In the area of the iris, several shades can be counted simultaneously. For example, against the background of a brown iris, there may be a spot of gray or blue color. It is this spot that indicates that when the child’s eye color began to form and finally set after birth, the body did not have enough melanin pigment, and as a result, the iris was simply not fully colored.
Partial heterochromia in children is explained by the fact that all babies at birth have gray-blue eyes, which later, as a rule, change their shade. The formation of brown or darker eye color occurs later, and this is possible only on one eye.
Central heterochromia
It is safe to say that this is the most common form of this phenomenon. In most cases, people do not even suspect that they have heterochromia and are simply proud of their unusual eye color.
It is also worth noting that central heterochromia looks quite elegant. And if we say that the eyes are the mirror of the soul, in people with this variety they say a lot. This form of heterochromia does not cause discomfort, but you should still visit an ophthalmologist.
If you notice changes in the color of one or both eyes in yourself or your child, it is advisable to consult a doctor. To make sure that these changes are not a symptom of a serious illness or other medical problem, a thorough eye examination will be required.
Some syndromes and conditions associated with heterochromia, such as pigmentary glaucoma, may only be discovered through careful examination.
A full examination will help rule out many causes of heterochromia. In the absence of major distress, further testing may not be necessary. However, upon detection associated ailments The patient, depending on the diagnosis, is prescribed therapy.
It could be laser surgical intervention, treatment with steroids, in case of clouding of the lens, vitrectomy surgery is prescribed. The choice of method is directly related to the causes of the disease.
You should also note that the color of the iris in both eyes with congenital heterochromia will never become the same. If this phenomenon is acquired in nature, then restoration of the color of the iris is quite possible. This is especially true when hit
An incredible manifestation of excess or deficiency of melanin - a dark pigment that is found in the human body - is reflected in the uneven color of the eyes in one person and is quite rare.
Different eye colors in people are perceived positively or neutrally as a phenomenon. But not everyone knows that in some cases this deviation may indicate a disease.
Manifestation of the disease
Heterochromia, or cat's eyes, most often manifests itself in several combinations - brown and blue, brown and gray, but there are also rarer combinations.
Depending on the psychological characteristics, the owner of heterochromic eyes can be proud of his individuality or ashamed, trying to hide deviations from the standard with colored lenses or glasses. Women with this disease have difficulty choosing makeup, so they have to limit themselves to neutral colors.
In ancient times, people with different eye colors were considered almost fiends of hell, sorcerers, witches, and unclean ones. In the modern age, any individuality is neutrally welcomed, even if it does not depend on the desire of the owner.
Fact: judging by statistics, heterochromia occurs more often in women than in men. But the reasons for this feature have not been discovered.
From birth, eye color is determined entirely by the distribution or concentration of melanin in the iris. So, a newborn baby may have grey eyes, which will darken to brown over time or vice versa. The uneven distribution of the dye on both irises is expressed as heterochromia.
What is heterochromia
This feature is called heterochromia translated from Greek - ἕτερος (different, different) χρῶμα (color), which fully characterizes the concept of disease.
There are only three primary colors of pigment, from which the shade of the iris is obtained:
- yellow;
- blue;
- brown.
Ideally, the eye color should be the same, but never identical. If you look closely, even people with the same color have a slight difference.
For example, a blue-eyed person has a yellow “sun” around the pupil, and its “rays” will be different in shape and size. This is how a kind of heterochromia manifests itself, which is often inherited.
When staining the iris, the dyes are always mixed in different quantities, and therefore absolutely identical eyes do not exist.
Fact: Heterochromia occurs in newborns in 10 cases out of 1,000.
The deviation itself does not cause any harm, especially visual defects. The color of the iris does not affect the quality of image visibility in any way. But it happens that such an ophthalmological deviation is a symptom of another disease.
Types of heterochromia
Deviations in the stable distribution of pigment across the irises of both eyes in people who create their individual color have variations:
- Complete – the color in the eyes is completely different, with a pronounced difference.
- Sector – lobar or partial heterochromia, which are expressed by color deficiency. For example, one is brown, and the second is blue with a brown spot.
- Central - the second eye with a lighter iris has a spot or spots on the dominant color, creating a ring around the pupil.
The most common form of manifestation of the deviation is complete heterochromia.
Depending on the cause of occurrence, there are two types:
- congenital;
- acquired.
The reasons for the formation of the acquired form of the disease may be different, but congenital heterochromia is only inherited. Perhaps even in a generation.
Why does heterochromia appear?
Reasons for acquired or congenital abnormality have a different character, but are divided into several types:
- Simple is an anomalous phenomenon that manifests itself without the presence of systemic or eye diseases that can provoke pathology. Very rare view ophthalmological abnormality.
More often, heterochromia occurs due to weakness of the sympathetic cervical nerve. This disease also has other symptoms expressed in ophthalmological pathologies: ptosis, uneven pigmentation skin, narrow pupil, displaced eyeball, decreased or absent sweating on the affected side of the body. All this is Horner's syndrome.
Congenital heterochromia can be a consequence of the presence of Waardenburg syndrome, pigment dispersion syndrome and many other hereditary diseases.
- Complicated – formed due to Fuchs syndrome. Usually only one organ of vision is damaged, and often such a deviation is so slight that only an ophthalmologist notices it. Accompanied by additional signs of the syndrome: clouding of the lens, slow deterioration of vision, floating microscopic whitish formations that are not always visible.
- Acquired - appears due to mechanical injury the eyeball, and the iris in particular. May be a consequence of tumor, inflammation or improper treatment ophthalmological diseases. With siderosis or chalcosis, the membrane of the damaged eye is green-blue or rusty-brown (depending on the type of metal that entered the eyeball from the outside during the injury).
Diagnosis and treatment
Observational diagnostics are used to identify the cause of the disease.
The main role in the treatment method is played by obtaining heterochromia - acquired, gradually formed or congenital.
If, after examination, disturbances in the functioning of the visual organs are not identified, treatment with conservative or surgical therapy not assigned. In any case, the manifestation of the disease will not disappear after treating it as a symptom. The eyes will remain different color, even if you get rid of the cause.
If an underlying disease is identified that has affected eye color, appropriate treatment is prescribed for it, and not for heterochromia itself.
Heterochromia is when a person has different colored eyes. The difference in eye color in humans is caused by an excess or deficiency of the pigment - melanin. This rare phenomenon occurs not only in humans, but also in animals, such as cats. A long time ago, people with different eye colors were considered children of the devil, witches, that is, people associated with witchcraft or black magic. They caused fear ordinary people, but now it is known that different eye colors are not tricks of supernatural power.
There are two types of heterochromia: the first is complete heterochromia, and the second is partial heterochromia. In complete heterochromia, the color of one iris is completely different from the color of the other iris. In partial heterochromia, a person has one part of the iris (eye) that is different from the rest of the iris, meaning one eye has two colors. Most often, complete heterochromia occurs in people, less often partial, in approximately 4 people out of 1 million. ,
Heterochromia is a mutation that occurs after fertilization of the egg. But you shouldn't be afraid of heterochromia. It does not affect the health of a person whose eyes are of different colors. A person with heterochromia sees and perceives colors in the same way as an ordinary person, but only he has his own individual flavor. By the way, heterochromia is more common in women than among the stronger sex. It also happens that heterochromia becomes acquired. Due to injury or disease (Hirschsprung's Disease, Waardenburg Syndrome), a person acquires a unique phenomenon.
Have you ever met people with different colored eyes? One look at such a person makes you stop your gaze on him, arousing great interest. A combination of brown and blue eye impossible not to notice. Nature has endowed such people with a special charm, however, there are only one percent of them in the world. Why is the iris of the eye different colors in one person? We will try to explain this to you.
In science, this phenomenon is called heterochromia. It is explained either by the presence of an excess or, conversely, a deficiency of a pigment called melanin. The most important thing you need to know is that different eye colors are not a disease, but just a gift of nature.
There are also two states of heterochromia. If the irises of the eyes have various colors, then this is complete heterochromia. Partial heterochromia is caused by a two-color iris of one of the human eyes. However, partial heterochromia is extremely rare. In addition, different-colored eyes in a person can be an acquired phenomenon, due to a head injury or after recovery from a serious illness.
Nowadays, science explains this phenomenon, and people with different-colored eyes live peacefully. In the old days, this caused fear. It was believed that multi-colored eyes were a sign of dark forces and such people were avoided.
Today, a person with different colored eyes is always the center of everyone's attention. Psychologists have even compiled a special psychological portrait for people with this phenomenon. As a rule, these are sincere, brave and sometimes unpredictable people. Since childhood, feeling different, they are always the center of attention and surround themselves with only a small circle of friends. Maximalists by nature, they always strive to be the first in everything.
“Mosaic People,” as they are called, often use colored lenses to hide their phenomenon from strangers. Excessive attention can sometimes be tiring, which may be why they hide their individuality. The average person, on the other hand, is envious of mosaics. After all, being different from others is a reason for pride.
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Why do fingernails grow faster than toenails... Why do people lie to each other?... What is the rarest eye color?... One of the unique mysteries of nature and unusual phenomena is considered to be different eye colors in people. This phenomenon is called heterochromia or eye piebaldism, which is translated into Russian from Greek as “different color” or “different color.” With this phenomenon, a person experiences different pigmentation of the iris. This phenomenon is typical not only for people, but also for some species of animals (cats, dogs, cows, horses, etc.). This phenomenon is not dangerous in itself, but may indirectly indicate some diseases inherent in humans. People with heterochromia eyes should undergo regular medical examinations to notice possible changes that may begin. If no pathological processes occur in the body, this phenomenon is perceived by both the person himself and everyone around him as something unique and special. After all, a person with eyes of different colors always stands out from the crowd. Although many people with eyes of different colors feel uncomfortable, they try to hide their eyes behind dark glasses, and women often cannot choose the right makeup to suit their features. Since ancient times, such people have been considered black magicians, sorcerers, witches, possessors of some kind of diabolical knowledge. Now these stereotypes have been destroyed, witches have not been burned at the stake for a long time, and heterochromia is perceived exclusively as quite interesting, but still a deviation from the norm. Eye color is always determined by the presence, distribution and concentration of the melanin pigment. If there is an excess or, conversely, a lack of melanin in the irises of the eyes, they may have a different color. In total, there are three colors of pigment, which in different proportions make up the main color of the iris. These are blue, yellow and brown pigments. As a rule, the color of both eyes of a person is the same. But in 10 cases out of 1000, for various reasons, a different color of the iris may appear, which is called heterochromia. There is no need to be afraid of this feature, since in itself it does not affect vision in any way: a person sees and perceives colors and shapes normally, in exactly the same way as a person without heterochromia. Sometimes it acts as a symptom of a certain disease. But heterochromia itself does not pose a threat or danger to human life or health. According to statistics, heterochromia occurs more often in women than in men, however, no scientific basis for the relationship between gender and this phenomenon has been identified.
According to type or form, there are three different cases or variants of heterochromia: More common is complete heterochromia. It occurs more often than sector or central. Based on the reasons for the occurrence of heterochromia, it is distinguished into congenital (genetic, hereditary) and acquired. We will consider the factors and reasons that may provoke its appearance below. Based on the reasons for the appearance of the anomaly, simple, complicated or mechanical heterochromia is conventionally distinguished. Diagnosis of this phenomenon is established through observation. Changes or anomalies that appeared at birth are immediately visible. Then the complete clinical picture diseases to make a diagnosis and plan treatment. The ophthalmologist prescribes comprehensive examination both laboratory techniques and special methods specifically for identifying disturbances in the functioning of the visual apparatus. If heterochromia is not accompanied by other symptoms other than different eye colors, then medication or surgery is not prescribed because it is not necessary, because eye color cannot be changed with treatment anyway. If some accompanying illnesses, which provoke heterochromia, then treatment is prescribed in accordance with the established diagnosis. This may include treatment with steroids, vitrectomy surgery for cloudy lenses that cannot be treated with steroids, or laser surgery. The choice of method is made by a specialist depending on the disease. It is worth noting that with congenital heterochromia, the color of the iris will never be the same in both eyes. If heterochromia is acquired, restoring the color of the iris is possible. This is especially true when certain metal fragments get into the eye. At successful treatment the color of the iris will be the same after removing all foreign bodies. Associate Professor of the Department of Eye Diseases. | Chief Editor site Practices emergency, outpatient and routine ophthalmology. Conducts diagnostics and conservative treatment farsightedness, allergic diseases eyelids, myopia. Performs probing, removal of foreign bodies, examination of the fundus with a three-mirror lens, and rinsing of the nasolacrimal ducts.Description of heterochromia
Types of heterochromia
Reasons for appearance
Diagnosis and treatment
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