{"id":2496,"date":"2024-08-12T10:21:56","date_gmt":"2024-08-12T14:21:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.warbyparker.com\/learn\/?p=2496"},"modified":"2026-04-02T03:12:40","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T07:12:40","slug":"brown-eyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/brown-eyes","title":{"rendered":"Brown Eyes: Facts About Their Color and Rarity"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Although brown may not be one of the rarest eye colors<\/a> in the world, that doesn\u2019t make it any less interesting. Let\u2019s take some time to explore the brown eye color, its prevalence and varying shades and some other interesting facts about brown eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Rare Are Brown Eyes?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brown eyes aren\u2019t rare at all. According to a 2014 poll by the American Academy of Ophthalmology<\/a>, roughly 45% of Americans have brown eyes, making it the most common eye color in the U.S. by far. Perhaps \u201cHow common<\/em> are brown eyes?\u201d would be the more appropriate question \ud83d\ude09.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shades of Brown Eyes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps one of the most interesting qualities of brown eyes is that there are so many different shades. From light-brown eyes, resembling the color of caramel, to dark-brown eyes that are nearly black in appearance, brown eyes run quite a spectrum. In fact, two brown-eyed people could have very different-looking eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Eye Colors Similar to Brown<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hazel eyes<\/a> are sometimes mistaken for brown eyes if they\u2019re predominantly brown in color. Similarly, amber eyes<\/a> may look brown from a distance, but they\u2019re actually a different color\u2014lighter, with orange and\/or yellow hues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n\n

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\n\t\t\t\"Showcase\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Showcase those peepers<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t

All eyes (no matter their color) deserve to see clearly. Frame them with your favorite eyeglasses, or leave them unobscured with contacts.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\tShop glasses <\/svg>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tShop contacts <\/svg>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n
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Other Facts About Brown Eyes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Brown eyes are pretty common, but here are some interesting tidbits that make them seem far from ordinary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Almost All Eyes Are (Technically) Brown Eyes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Yes, you read that right! What we mean by that is nearly everyone\u2019s eyes contain the brown-colored pigment called melanin (the same pigment that gives color to hair and skin).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The iris (the colored part of the eye) has a front and back layer to it. And for nearly everyone, the back layer of the iris contains brown pigment. Brown eyes appear brown because the front layer of the iris (the stroma) is rich with melanin, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lighter eyes\u2014like blue eyes<\/a>, for instance\u2014have little or no melanin in the stroma. But blue eyes don\u2019t contain blue pigment. Rather, the lack of melanin in the stroma allows light coming into the eye to scatter and reflect back out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown Eyes Are More Tolerant of Sunlight<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We established that brown-eyed people are common in the U.S., but they\u2019re even more<\/em> common in parts of the world with sunny climates, such as Africa and Asia. Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melanin protects our eyes from sun damage<\/a> just like it protects our skin. In fact, people with lighter eye colors are more susceptible to sun-related eye issues such as photokeratitis<\/a> since they have less melanin. Perhaps that\u2019s why lighter eye colors didn\u2019t become more prevalent until our early ancestors spread across the world to less sunny, cooler locations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brown Eyes Were the Only<\/em> Eyes at One Time<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Until roughly 6,000 to 10,000 years ago, all humans had brown eyes. Researchers have discovered<\/a> that at that point, a genetic mutation occurred, resulting in blue eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No Matter Your Eye Color\u2026<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your eyes are beautiful and unique. So, be sure to take care of them with regular eye exams<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find yourself thinking about other eye colors? You could always consider colored contact lenses<\/a>. Just reach out to your eye doctor if that sparks your interest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Although brown may not be one of the rarest eye colors in the world, that doesn\u2019t make it any less interesting. Let\u2019s take some time to explore the brown eye color, its prevalence and varying shades and some other interesting facts about brown eyes. How Rare Are Brown Eyes? Brown eyes aren\u2019t rare at all. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":29,"featured_media":2498,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2496","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-eye-health","category-style"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBrown Eyes: Facts About Their Color and Rarity | Warby Parker<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Want to learn more about brown eyes? Read all about their color variations, prevalence, and more.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.stage.warby.io\/learn\/brown-eyes\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Brown Eyes: Facts About Their Color and Rarity | Warby Parker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Want to learn more about brown eyes? 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