Green Eyes: How Rare Are They?

Many people recognize green eyes as the rarest eye color in the world. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, only about 2% of the global population has them.

But most likely, green eyes are only the rarest if you’re solely considering the more “standard” or “traditional” eye colors. Red or violet eyes may be even more rare worldwide. These eye colors are often associated with albinism, which occurs in less than 1% of the world’s population.

It’s difficult to provide precise answers to questions about eye color rarity because so few large data sets have been collected—especially on a global scale. Also, remember that the percentage of people with green eyes will vary by region (as is the case with all eye colors).

What Percentage of People Have Green Eyes in the United States?

According to a 2014 research poll, roughly 9% of the U.S. population has green eyes (a higher number than the estimated global percentage). Keep in mind that this poll surveyed only 2,000 Americans, so this statistic is just an estimate based on the findings in that representative group of people.

Which Country Has the Most Green Eyes?

Many online sources seem to agree that green eyes are most prevalent in northern Europe, in areas such as Ireland and Scotland. But again, you’ll be hard-pressed to find solid data showing exactly how many people have green eyes in each country, so remember to take your internet findings with a grain of salt.

What Causes Green Eyes?

Green eyes are caused by a combination of low melanin—a brown-colored pigment—and light scattering in the iris. Put simply, eyes with more melanin appear darker than eyes with less melanin.

Because green eyes don’t contain a lot of melanin in the front layer of the iris (the colored part of the eye), more light is able to enter and reflect back out of the eye. Green eyes tend to have more melanin than blue eyes, but may have less melanin than hazel eyes.

Types of Green Eyes (Variations)

Green eyes can vary widely in color, from darker brownish-green hues to lighter shades of bluish-green. But one of the things that makes green eyes so rare is that they’re generally a solid color throughout the iris. Eyes that appear to have a mixture of colors—like green mixed with flecks of brown or gold—are actually hazel, not green.

No Matter Your Eye Color…

Your eyes are beautiful and unique. In fact, no one else has eyes exactly like yours. But if you find yourself dreaming of green eyes, you can always try colored contacts. (You’ll just need to talk to your eye doctor first.)