Have you ever noticed someone, perhaps in a movie or even in your immediate entourage, with two different eye colours? If you’ve ever wondered about the condition behind it, we’ve got you covered: it’s called Heterochromia. We’ll take a deeper look into the condition and whether treatment is needed. If you are already pretty confident in your knowledge on the subject, take the Michel Pop quiz. Otherwise, keep reading to learn more!

WHAT IS HETEROCHROMIA?

Heterochromia is a very rare condition whereby a person’s irises are different colours. It affects only about 0.6% of the population. It is caused by the difference in concentration and distribution of melanin in the eye. Melanin is the body’s natural pigment that provides colour to our skin, hair, and you guessed it: our eyes. 

Interestingly, Heterochromia is not unique to human beings. In fact, the condition itself is very common among animals. Mostly as a result of genetics, Australian Shepherds, Huskies, and Angora cats are most frequently affected.

THE TYPES OF HETEROCHROMIA

There are three types of Heterochromia: complete; central; and sectoral. Complete heterochromia is where one will have two completely different coloured eyes. Central heterochromia is where the outer ring of the eye will be different from the inner ring. Sectoral, or partial, heterochromia is where a portion of the eye, oftentimes recognized as an irregular spot, will be different from the rest of the eyes.

ACQUIRED HETEROCHROMIA

Most people with heterochromia are born with it. It does not affect vision and is not considered a medical condition. However, some may develop the condition later in life. In those cases, referred to as acquired Heterochromia, it is advised to consult with your eye doctor as it may result from other underlying conditions such as eye injury, disease, or reaction to a certain medication. It is also worth mentioning that LASIK, PRK, and Intraocular Lenses do not cause Heterochromia.

CORRECTING HETEROCHROMIA

Although heterochromia is not reversible, there typically isn’t a need to treat it unless it’s caused by another condition. In this case, it is advised to reach out to an ophthalmologist, who will focus treatment on the particular underlying issue. If you are concerned about the way it looks and would prefer having the same colour in both eyes, coloured contact lenses are an option. 

TO LEARN MORE:
To test your knowledge on other vision problems, try our Article on swimming and eye health and read our article on the subject!