Hazel eyes are a fascinating eye color that often appear to shift between shades of brown, green, gray and gold. The exact composition of hazel eyes varies between individuals, with some eyes appearing more green or brown while others shift colours. This leads many to wonder – is hazel actually a shade of green? Or is it better classified as brown? Let’s take a closer look at what defines hazel eyes.
What Causes Hazel Eye Color?
Eye color is determined by the amount and quality of melanin pigments in the iris. Brown eyes have a lot of melanin, blue eyes have very little, and hazel eyes fall somewhere in between. Here’s a quick overview:
– Brown eyes have a high concentration of melanin
– Blue eyes have a low concentration of melanin
– Green eyes have moderate melanin with some collagen scattering light
– Hazel eyes have moderate melanin concentrated around the outer edge of the iris, with very little around the inner perimeter
This unique distribution of melanin is what gives hazel eyes their multi-colored appearance. The melanin concentrated on the outer edge absorbs light, causing the eye to appear brown/amber from a distance. Nearer the pupil, the lower melanin concentration allows light to scatter and reflect off the collagen fibers, making the eye appear greener.
The Range of Hazel Eye Colors
No two pairs of hazel eyes are exactly alike. The specific hue can range from light brown to dark golden-green. Here are some of the most common shades of hazel eyes:
| Light Brown | More brown than green, with minimal green/gold around the pupil |
| Amber | Rich golden/amber tones |
| Honey | Warm golden brown colors like honey |
| Golden | Vibrant gold color more dominant than green |
| Green-Hazel | Emerald green hues mixed with gold around the pupil |
| Gray-Hazel | Cool gray mixed with touches of light brown and green |
The iris pattern can also vary, with some eyes having a very defined outer brown/green border and others blending the colors in a more subtle way.
Despite the range, hazel eyes typically share some key common features:
– Some shade of light brown, amber or gold color near the outer edge
– Green, gray, gold or blue hues nearer the pupil
– Visible flecks/spokes of other colors throughout the iris
– Appear to shift between shades depending on lighting conditions
How Lighting Affects Hazel Eyes
The multi-faceted nature of hazel eyes leads them to appear remarkably different depending on lighting conditions.
In bright sunlight, the amber/brown tones are most visible, causing eyes to appear more golden-brown. In darker indoor lighting, the pupil dilates allowing more light to reflect off the interior collagen fibers, making green flecks shine through.
Hazel eyes may also seem to shift colors with changes in mood or emotion due to dilation/constriction of the pupil. When happy or excited the eyes appear greener, while anger or sadness brings out more brown.
Because hazel eyes are so sensitive to lighting changes, they can be tricky to classify or describe accurately. Two people may look at the same set of hazel eyes but perceive the color differently based on current lighting conditions and angle relative to the eye.
The Genetics Behind Hazel Eyes
Hazel eyes arise from a genetic combination of variants for both light and dark eyes. Usually, they occur when someone inherits a brown eye gene from one parent and a lighter blue/green eye gene from the other.
The specific chromosomes involved are:
– OCA2 and HERC2 genes on chromosome 15 determine brown/blue eyes
– SLC24A4 gene on chromosome 14 determines light/dark eye color
Research has uncovered a handful of common genetic variants connected with hazel eyes:
| RS12203592 | Reduces tyrosinase activity leading to lighter eye color |
| HERC2 Variant | Linked to lighter eye colors including green/hazel |
| OCA2 Variant | Reduces melanin production and associated with hazel eyes |
The interplay between these genes on chromosomes 15 and 14 is what ultimately produces the hazel phenotype of moderate melanin concentrated on the outer iris.
Hazel Eyes and Ethnicity
Hazel eyes appear in people across many different ethnic backgrounds. However, they are more commonly seen in:
– White – Around 5% of Caucasians have hazel eyes
– Hispanic/Latino – Estimated at 5-10% prevalence in those of Spanish/Latin-American descent
– Native American – Thought to be relatively common among indigenous peoples
– Middle Eastern – Found sporadically among Arab, Persian, Kurdish, and Israeli groups
– Multiracial – Frequently seen in those of mixed white European/East Asian or white/African ancestry
The exact statistics vary significantly between specific populations. But hazel consistently appears at a low frequency worldwide, typically less than 10% prevalence.
Brown remain the most common eye color globally, but hazel arises wherever there is genetic mixing of light and dark eye variants.
How Hazel Compares to Pure Green Eyes
Given the shifting nature of hazel eyes, some confusion exists around distinguishing pure green eyes from hazel. Here are a few ways to tell them apart:
– Pure green eyes have an even, vivid green color across the entire iris with minimal brown
– Hazel eyes have brown/gold rings around the outer edge, with green limited mostly to the area around the pupil
– Green eyes appear consistently green in all lighting conditions
– Hazel eyes shift between green and light brown depending on lighting
– Hazel eyes typically have ray-like streaks or speckles of brown, gold, or orange amidst the green
– Pure green eyes lack these multi-colored flecks and exhibit a more solid green hue
While hazel eyes have some green in them, the concentration is too low and irregular to be considered fully green. The brown tones paired with the green are what shifts hazel into a category of their own.
Conclusion
So in summary – is hazel a shade of green eyes? The answer is yes and no. Hazel eyes derive their color from a combination of moderate melanin and low levels of green and gold hues. They share some qualities with pure green eyes but differ in their brown/amber outer rings and propensity to shift between shades. While hazel eyes contain some green, the color alone does not define them. Their uniqueness arises from the pairing of green and lighter brown. So hazel is best described as a multi-colored phenotype separate from pure green eyes. The diversity and rarity of hazel makes them distinctive and striking!
