{"id":1519,"date":"2023-03-23T15:24:39","date_gmt":"2023-03-23T19:24:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.warbyparker.com\/learn\/?p=1519"},"modified":"2026-04-02T03:12:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T07:12:33","slug":"heterochromia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/heterochromia","title":{"rendered":"What Is Heterochromia?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cHeterochromia\u201d means a difference in color, from the Greek words \u201chetero\u201d (different) and \u201cchroma\u201d (color). Usually, when people talk about heterochromia, they\u2019re referring to when a person has different-colored eyes. But technically, this term can apply to other things affected by pigmentation (coloring) too, such as hair and skin. When you\u2019re talking about the eyes, the more accurate term is \u201cheterochromia iridum\u201d or \u201cheterochromia iridis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And here\u2019s something else you might not know: There are actually different kinds of heterochromia, and the way it looks can vary widely from person to person. It\u2019s a unique and interesting condition\u2014that\u2019s why we\u2019ve gathered up everything you might want to know about heterochromatic eyes and turned it into one helpful article. Let\u2019s dive in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Types of Heterochromia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Heterochromia doesn\u2019t always<\/em> mean having two different colored eyes. There are actually three different kinds of heterochromia, which are classified by the amount of the iris (the colored part of the eye around the pupil) that\u2019s affected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Complete Heterochromia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Complete heterochromia is the type that most people think of when they think about the condition. A person with complete heterochromia has eyes that are completely<\/em> different colors (hence the name). For instance, one eye might be blue, and the other might be green<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Central Heterochromia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Central heterochromia usually affects both eyes. With this type of heterochromia, the iris is one color near the center<\/em> of the eye around the pupil, and then it changes to another color near the outer edge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With central heterochromia, you can think of the iris as a target\u2014the pupil is the bullseye with two rings of color around it. For example, the iris might have green around the pupil that shifts into brown towards the edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sectoral Heterochromia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sectoral heterochromia may affect one or both eyes. This type is also called partial heterochromia because it only affects part of the iris. An eye with sectoral heterochromia will have two different eye colors in the same iris. It\u2019s so named because a section<\/em> of the iris will have a secondary color. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With sectoral heterochromia, you can think of the iris as a pie\u2014one slice of the pie will be a different color, and that slice can be any size (from a humble \u201csliver\u201d to a hefty slice that makes up two-thirds of the pie). <\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

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How Rare Is Heterochromia?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Heterochromia is a rare condition in humans, affecting less than 1% of the U.S. population<\/a>. It\u2019s more common in other species of the animal kingdom, though\u2014especially in some breeds of dogs, cats, and horses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Causes Heterochromia?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Most of the time, heterochromia is present at birth, but sometimes it can develop later in life. In the majority of cases, an individual with heterochromia experiences no health issues due to this condition\u2014it only affects eye color. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look at what causes someone to have these types of eye color variations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Is Heterochromia Genetic?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, genetics can cause heterochromia. When heterochromia is present at birth, it\u2019s referred to as congenital heterochromia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your genes influence the melanin levels in your irises\u2014the pigmentation that gives your irises their color. But it\u2019s typically a genetic mutation that causes heterochromia, which means it\u2019s more like a surprise change that happens during your genes\u2019 development than a trait that you inherit from your parents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If a child does<\/em> inherit heterochromia, it may indicate the child inherited an underlying condition that causes heterochromia\u2014not the heterochromia itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Underlying Conditions That May Cause Congenital Heterochromia<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Although it\u2019s rare, sometimes congenital heterochromia is caused by a medical condition. Some of these conditions include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n