Eyes come in a variety of colors, from common shades like brown, blue, and green, to more rare colors like gray, amber, and violet. Violet eyes are often considered one of the most unique and beautiful eye colors. But are violet eyes really a naturally occurring eye color in humans? Let’s take a closer look at what causes eye color and examine whether true violet eyes can occur without the use of contacts or cosmetic enhancements.
What Determines Eye Color?
The color of our eyes is determined by a pigment called melanin. Melanin is produced by special cells called melanocytes. The amount and type of melanin present in the iris of the eye is what gives eyes their characteristic color.
There are two types of melanin:
Eumelanin – This melanin produces brown and black pigments. Higher amounts of eumelanin lead to darker eyes.
Pheomelanin – This melanin produces a red/yellow pigment. Higher concentrations of pheomelanin result in lighter eye colors like green and amber eyes.
The combination and concentration of these two melanins in the iris are primarily responsible for eye color. Aside from melanin, other factors like the density and composition of the stroma of the iris can also influence the appearance of eye color. The stroma is the tissue beneath the epithelial pigment layers of the iris.
Common Eye Colors and Their Causes
Here is a breakdown of some of the most common eye colors and what causes them:
Brown Eyes – This is the most common eye color worldwide. Brown eyes have high levels of eumelanin in the iris, which makes the eyes appear darker.
Blue Eyes – Blue eyes have low levels of melanin overall. The scattering of light through the clear stroma of the iris makes eyes appear blue.
Green Eyes – Green eyes have moderate amounts of melanin. They often have a yellowish tint from pheomelanin mixed with a blueish color from low melanin levels.
Amber/Hazel Eyes – Hazel eyes appear to shift in color from brown to green to gold. This is caused by moderate levels of melanin combined with a high concentration of pheomelanin.
Gray Eyes – These eyes have very low levels of melanin which gives them a darker slate gray appearance. They can also appear blue-gray or green-gray.
| Eye Color | Melanin Level | Melanin Type |
|---|---|---|
| Brown | High | Primarily eumelanin |
| Blue | Low | Low melanin overall |
| Green | Moderate | Mix of eumelanin and pheomelanin |
| Amber/Hazel | Moderate | Moderate eumelanin, high pheomelanin |
| Gray | Very low | Very low melanin overall |
This table summarizes how melanin content influences the most common eye colors. But what about rare colors like violet?
What Causes Violet Eye Color?
True violet eye color is exceptionally rare. There is some debate over whether violet eyes can occur naturally without any cosmetic enhancement. There are a few possible explanations for how violet eye color could develop:
Extremely Low Melanin – Violet eyes may be possible in people who have an extreme lack of melanin production in the iris. The total absence of melanin creates an eye color that can appear violet or deep blue under certain lighting conditions. However, this extreme melanin deficiency is very rare.
Unique Melanin Composition – Another theory is that violet eyes could result from a unique composition of melanin rather than extremely low levels. The right combination of eumelanin and pheomelanin possibly mixed with a reduced presence of yellow pigments may produce an eye color that appears more violet than typical blue eyes. However, there is limited research on this.
Albinism – Certain types of albinism that result in extremely low melanin levels throughout the body, including the eyes, can make eyes appear violet or red/violet in color. However, most people with albinism have very pale blue eyes rather than true violet.
Optical Effects – The fibrous composition of the stroma in front of the iris can also influence eye color. In rare cases, the arrangement of collagen fibers in the stroma could potentially refract light into the violet end of the spectrum, making eyes look violet under certain conditions. But this is speculative.
Overall, true natural violet eye color appears to be extremely rare. Some argue that true violet irises that are not caused by albinism or enhancement effects essentially do not exist in humans. There are no known genetic or medical conditions that can definitively produce violet eye coloration without outside intervention.
Does Ethnicity Play a Role in Violet Eyes?
There are some reports that violet eye color may be slightly more common in certain ethnic groups, such as people of Armenian, Asian, or Celtic descent. However, these claims are unproven. There are too few documented cases of true violet eyes to firmly establish any ethnic tendencies. Violet eyes across all populations appear to be genetic flukes rather than being tied to a specific heritage.
Some key points on ethnicity and violet eyes:
– Violet eyes have been observed in people of diverse ethnic backgrounds. There are anecdotal accounts of violet eyes in people of European, Asian, and South American descent.
– To date, there are no specific genetic markers or mutations that have been conclusively linked to the natural development of violet eye coloration.
– Traits like fair skin and light hair that are more common in certain ethnicities do not seem to increase the likelihood of violet eyes themselves. Albinism also occurs across all ethnic groups.
– Overall, ethnicity does not appear to be a determining factor in the very rare occurrence of natural violet eye color. More research is needed on genetic influences.
Are Contacts or Surgery Required for Violet Eyes?
It is generally assumed that the only way to achieve a distinct violet eye color is through cosmetic contacts or surgical procedures like laser or injectable iris implants.
Some key considerations on enhancing eyes to appear violet:
– Colored contacts with violet, blue-violet, or multifaceted color patterns are available to make eyes look artificially violet. These do not permanently change eye color.
– More permanent surgical options exist to introduce new pigments or materials into the iris that can simulate violet eye color. But these carry significant risks like infection, vision impairment, or iris damage.
– Laser procedures that disrupt the pigment layers in the iris can lighten eyes. But they cannot produce true violet coloration – at best they can create a very light blue/gray appearance.
– Most cosmetic enhancements only create a simulated violet effect under certain conditions rather than a true violet iris. Results depend on lighting and other factors.
– Any efforts to surgically alter eye color involve risk and may not produce an authentic violet shade. Permanent effects also cannot be guaranteed.
Examples of Violet Eyes
Since violet eyes are so rare, there are relatively few well-documented examples of people with natural violet eye coloration:
– Elizabeth Taylor – The famous actress was thought to have violet eyes. But it was likely just an optical effect. Her eyes appeared violet only in certain lighting and shifted between blue, gray, and violet.
– Alexandra Edenborough – This British model is sometimes cited as having naturally violet eyes. However, some analyses of her photos suggest her eyes are a darker slate blue that can look violet in certain conditions.
– Anna Marie Pearce – Pearce reportedly had violet eyes from birth. She attributes them to her German and Cherokee ancestry. But her case has not been able to be definitively confirmed by genetic testing.
– Unnamed Bosnian Woman – In 2004, news reports highlighted a then 28-year old Bosnian woman with alleged violet-colored eyes. They were described as appearing blue, green or violet depending on lighting conditions in what may have been an optical effect.
These examples illustrate just how rare cases of possible natural violet eyes are. Some other historical figures like Cleopatra and Queen Elizabeth I have also been claimed to have violet eyes. But in most accounts, lighting effects rather than true iris pigmentation are the likely cause.
Conclusion
In summary, violet eye color appears to be an exceptionally uncommon phenomenon and may not truly exist naturally in humans without albinism or enhancements. Extremely low melanin levels combined with unique melanin composition could theoretically result in violet eye color in rare genetic cases. But most examples of violet eyes can likely be attributed to optical illusions, cosmetic contacts, or surgical iris modifications rather than being a verifiable and naturally occurring eye coloration. More research is still needed to determine if and how violet pigmentation could develop physiologically without intervention. Regardless of their origins, violet eyes remain a beautiful and striking trait. But confirming them as a naturally possible eye color in humans remains elusive.
