Heterochromia

“Heterochromia” is the medical name for having two differently colored eyes, or having color variations in the same eye.

Your eye color comes from your iris. That’s the colored part around your pupil (the black center of your eye). Usually, both irises match. If you have heterochromia, one iris may not match the other. For example, you might have one brown eye and one blue eye. Or you may have a brown eye with spikes of blue in it.

Most of time, heterochromia is harmless. Having variation in your eye color doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with your eyes or vision. In rare cases, it can be a sign of an injury or health condition. Visit an eye doctor if you notice changes in your eye color that haven’t always been there.

Types of heterochromia

There are three different types of heterochromia, based on what the color variation looks like:

• Complete heterochromia (heterochromia iridum): One eye is a totally different color from the other.
• Sectoral/partial heterochromia (heterochromia iridis): A section of one eye is a different color. The different color is contained in one section. Picture a pie chart, where one slice is a different color than the rest.
• Centralized heterochromia: One eye has an inner ring that’s a different color from the rest. This may look like spikes extending out from the pupil at the center of your eye.

Heterochromia symptoms

The only “symptom” of heterochromia is your eyes having noticeable color variations. And that isn’t really a symptom. If you were born with different eye color combinations, there’s nothing wrong with your eyes. They just have a different color combination. And it won’t affect your vision or cause pain or other issues.

Heterochromia causes

Your eye doctor may refer to heterochromia as one of two subtypes based on what causes it:

Congenital heterochromia

This is heterochromia that’s present at birth. It sometimes develops shortly after birth as a baby’s eyes grow and change quickly.

Harmless genetic changes cause this type. The changes usually affect the way your child’s body makes and stores melanin, the pigment that’s responsible for their eye color.

You’ll probably be able to see the differences in your baby’s eyes right away after they’re born. An eye doctor will check their eyes to make sure everything is OK. It’s rare for them to have any symptoms or other issues.

Acquired heterochromia

This is when something damages your eyes, causing one of them to change color. It can be a symptom of a health condition or result from an injury.

Dozens of conditions can cause acquired heterochromia. Some you’re born with. Others develop later in life. These range from rare conditions, like Horner syndrome, to more common issues, like glaucoma.

Eye injuries that cause bleeding, swelling or irritation inside the layers of your eye might cause your iris to change colors.

Visit an eye doctor right away if one of your eyes changes colors, especially if it happens suddenly. Acquired heterochromia can be serious. It needs to be diagnosed and treated right away.

How doctors diagnose heterochromia

Heterochromia is noticeable by simply looking at your eyes. But an eye doctor will still give you a full eye exam to check your eyes and vision. This helps them make sure your eyes are healthy.

With acquired heterochromia, you may need other tests to help your eye doctor figure out the cause. They’ll tell you what to expect in this case.

Heterochromia treatments

You won’t typically need any treatment for heterochromia if you were born with it (congenital), as it won’t affect how your eyes work.

The differences in your eye color are just part of what makes you unique. But if you’d prefer your eyes to match, that’s OK, too. Talk to your eye doctor about colored contact lenses. They can give you a prescription. But don’t buy contacts from costume shops or online sellers. These might be made of unsafe materials or not fit right, leading to eye damage.

If you have acquired heterochromia, your eye doctor will treat the issue that has caused it. They’ll tell you what you need and why.

When should I seek care?

Visit an eye doctor right away if you notice any sudden changes in how your eyes look. Tell them if you know you have a health condition that can affect your eyes, or if you had an eye injury recently.

Your eye doctor will tell you how often you should get eye exams. You may need your eyes checked more often if you have certain conditions.