Whether brown eyes can turn hazel is a common question for people wondering if their eye color can change naturally over time. The short answer is yes, it is possible for brown eyes to turn hazel, but there are some important factors that determine if and how this can occur.
What determines eye color?
Human eye color is determined by the amount and type of pigment in the iris of the eye. The two main pigments that contribute to eye color are:
- Melanin – A brown pigment that provides brown hues to eyes.
- Lipochrome – A yellow pigment that provides green and amber hues.
The specific combination and concentration of these pigments produce the various eye colors we see. Brown eyes contain a high concentration of melanin. Green, hazel, and amber eyes have a moderate amount of melanin combined with a golden, yellow lipochrome pigment.
Can brown eyes turn green or blue?
It is not possible for brown eyes to turn into vivid green or bright blue eyes. A true change from brown to green or blue would require a major change in the melanin and lipochrome levels in the iris. However, melanin levels are mostly set at birth and lipochrome levels decrease with age – making a drastic color shift into a lighter shade impossible.
How can brown eyes turn hazel?
Brown eyes can gradually change to hazel when a reduction in melanin allows the golden-yellow lipochrome pigment to become more visible. This can happen for a few reasons:
- Aging – Melanin production slowly decreases over time.
- Injury – Trauma to the eye can reduce melanin.
- Medications – Some medications like chloroquine can reduce melanin.
When the melanin in the iris diminishes, it uncovers the underlying yellow-gold lipochrome. This brings out hazel hues in the eyes. The eyes may then appear as a light golden or amber brown rather than a deep chocolate brown.
At what age do brown eyes change color?
There is no set age when brown eyes shift to hazel. However, the most significant eye color changes due to aging occur after middle age:
| Age of Color Change | Reason |
|---|---|
| Infant to 1 year | Melanin levels set, eye color establishes |
| Early childhood | Possible lightening but little change |
| Puberty | Lipochrome production peaks |
| 18 to mid-30s | Eye color stabilizes |
| Mid-30s onward | Melanin decline allows lipochrome to show through |
| 55+ years | Most melanin reduction, biggest color change potential |
While a baby’s eye color is set by 1 year old, puberty and mid-life changes create the best chance for brown to hazel shifts. The most noticeable impact occurs in the senior population over 55 years old.
How long does it take for brown eyes to turn hazel?
There is no set timeline for brown eyes to change to hazel. The process occurs slowly over many years as melanin levels gradually decline. On average, the hazel shift takes:
- 10+ years for minor color change
- 20+ years for noticeable lightening from brown to hazel
- 30+ years for a complete hazel transformation
The longer it takes, the more dramatic the change. Rapid hazel shifts within a few years are unlikely. Think of it as a very slow fade rather than a quick switch.
Do hazel eyes eventually turn green or blue?
Hazel eyes are able to shift in color too, but they cannot become vivid blue or emerald green. Without melanin, the yellow-gold lipochrome remains and keeps the eyes in the golden-brown hazel spectrum. Over many years, typical color changes are:
- Dark hazel to light hazel
- Light hazel to amber
- Amber to light brown
This gradual fading only lightens the hazel. The development of blue or green pigment is not possible after early childhood.
Can you make brown eyes turn hazel faster?
There are no proven methods to instantly speed up the brown to hazel shift. Any products claiming to lighten brown eyes within days are likely a scam. Contact lenses are the only option to quickly see a major change from brown to hazelish colors.
However, protecting your eyes and supporting eye health may help melanin fade gracefully over time:
- Wear sunglasses to avoid UV damage
- Take eye supplements like lutein
- Eat carotenoid-rich foods like carrots
- Quit smoking tobacco products
Being patient for slow, natural color change is safer than eye whitening products marketed online.
Can lasers or surgery turn eyes hazel?
Several medical procedures claim to permanently lighten brown eyes. However, these are controversial and carry significant risks:
- Laser or surgical iris whitening – Removal of iris pigment. Risks include cataracts, vision impairment, inconsistent results.
- Iris implants – Prosthetic contacts surgically inserted into the eye. Complications include corneal damage, implant rejection.
- Eye color tattooing – Injecting tattoo ink to override natural pigment. Poor regulation, often unsafe inks used.
For long-term eye health, allow natural age-related color change to occur. Consult an ophthalmologist before attempting any invasive hazel transformation procedures.
Does ethnicity impact eye color changes?
Ethnic background does influence the likelihood of hazel shifts in brown eyes:
| Ethnicity | Hazel Change Potential |
|---|---|
| Caucasian | Moderate likelihood |
| Hispanic/Latino | Low to moderate chance |
| African American | Very unlikely |
| Asian | Extremely rare |
| Middle Eastern | Unlikely, if any occurs |
The clustering of melanin differs between ethnicities, with the highest concentrations present in African and Asian eyes. Brown eyes turning hazel is most plausible for Caucasian and Hispanic people.
Can depth perception or lighting alter brown eye color?
The perception of brown eyes can appear to shift due to optical illusions. But the pigment remains unchanged:
- Lighting – Hazel hues may be more noticeable in bright environments as the pupil contracts.
- Eye size – Larger, more dilated pupils could make brown irises seem darker.
- Depth – Multi-layered irises may reflect more light back, creating a artificial lightening effect.
While cool lighting and a stare can mimic hazel, true pigment change only stems from melanin reduction over time.
Conclusion
Brown eyes turning hazel is possible through aging and other factors that diminish natural melanin pigment. This reveals underlying golden-yellow lipochrome that brings out traces of amber, copper, and green. A complete hazel transformation realistically requires 20+ years for subtle change and 30+ years for a major shift from brown. While artificial methods to speed this up exist, gradual natural color change is the safest approach for long-term eye health.
