Do all babies have blue eyes? Eye color in newborns and its change

Rumyantseva Anna Grigorievna

Reading time: 4 minutes

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Babies usually have light, bluish eyes at birth., which give the baby an "angelic look", touching everyone around.

Parents and relatives of the baby often wonder if their shade will change.: whether he will look like mom or dad.

There are even couples who are eager to determine the color of the eyes of the unborn child using special tables and programs.

About how effective this method is and what affects the color of the iris, we will consider in the article.

Know! Heredity determines the appearance of the child, including the shade of the eyes. In this case, the child can inherit not only the features of his parents, but also the next of kin.

Recent studies by scientists indicate the existence of at least six genes that affect the color of the iris. They can be divided into two types:

Dominant genes predominate over recessive ones.

Thus, if one parent is brown and the other is green, then the child is likely to inherit more dark color- brown.

But in reality, the genetics of the color of the organs of vision is much more complicated, so their combinations depend on many factors.

It is worth noting! The probable shade of the child's eyes can be determined based on the following data:

• if both parents with blue eyes in 99% of cases the child will inherit the same color of the iris;
• a combination of green and brown shades guarantees a brown color in a child by 50%, green by 37% and blue only by 13%;
• parents with brown and blue eyes have the same chance of passing on their trait to their child;
• parents with green irises will give their child their shade with a probability of 75%, 25% remains for the appearance of a blue tint and 1% for brown;
• green and blue can give both the first and second options and exclude the appearance of brown eyes in the baby;
• brown eyes in both parents are 75% responsible for the appearance of brown shades in the baby, 18% of cases are for the appearance of green and 7% for blue.

Physiological features of color formation

If you look at the formation of eye color in a newborn from the side of physiological processes, then melanin is responsible for the result.

Its amount contained in the iris determines whether the eyes will be dark or light.

Except melanin the color is influenced by the vessels and fibers of the outer shell of the organs of vision. The back shell, regardless of the tone of the eyes, has a black color.

Light eyes tend to fade under the influence of ultraviolet rays and become lighter with age.

Why do babies change eye color?

Attentive parents often notice that the color of the eyes of a newborn is constantly changing. This process is due to the specific action of melanin.

Need to know! Melanin is stimulated by sunlight. His activity begins some time after birth.

The pigment in the iris accumulates gradually and over time changes the color of the organs of vision.

In a newborn, pigmentation of the posterior layer of the iris is laid even during the gestation period. and is usually dark in color.

The front layer acquires color in the first days after birth.

Since melanin has not yet had time to develop in the right amount, the iris in babies is painted in light shades.

Newborn eye color children can change with mood.

For example, when a baby is hungry, the color of the irises will be gray, and for a sleepy baby, the eyes will become cloudy. In a cheerful peanut, the eyes become brighter, as if glowing.

When does it begin to change and form completely?

Obvious color changes eyes in newborns appear at about three months of age. Up to six months, the reaction will be observed constantly.

Note! Some children get the final result by six months. For others, it only happens after a year.

Green and honey hues can form before the age of five.

When does the color change?

In some nationalities, at birth, children have brown or black irises.

Such eyes will not become lighter with age, since the iris tends to change only to a darker shade.

There are the most brown-eyed people on the planet.

Black eyes in babies are extremely rare.

Such a phenomenon observed in swarthy babies of the peoples of Asia, the Caucasus and Latin America.

Unusual coloration of the iris

In nature eyes of unusual shades meet.

For example, an actress Elizabeth Taylor had a purple iris. Such people are very rare.

Important! Scientists cannot name the exact cause of this phenomenon. Some argue that the cause is the disease of albinism.

Others are inclined to believe that the mutation was the reason for the unusual color of the eyes.

As a rule, such children are born with a gray or blue tint of the iris, and by the age of six months a purple tint appears, which darkens and saturates over time.

There is a legend about people with unusual eyes.

According to belief in Ancient Egypt children with purple eyes were born after a mysterious flash in the sky over a small village.

It is believed that people with this mutation have longevity and inherit their trait..

There is an opinion that the owners of emerald eyes have perfect vision, but this fact has not been confirmed by scientists.

Diseases that affect the formation of eye color in a child

Should know! There are a number hereditary pathologies, which affect the color of the iris of the eyes from the very birth of the child, these include:

Remember! The iris has a unique pattern. Finding two people with exactly the same eyes is almost impossible.

Useful video

From this video you will learn when the color of the eyes changes in children:

No wonder there is a saying that the eyes are the mirror of the soul. By their appearance, you can tell a lot about a person's well-being, his health and mood.

Every child is unique from birth, no matter what eye color they have.. The most important thing is that the baby is healthy, and his eyes shone with happiness.

In contact with

When you take your baby in your arms for the first time, you understand how much he is dear to you. Each child is loved and desired and is like both parents. That's just who more? It will be possible to find out for sure only after a certain time. Beginning with one month old, the baby begins to change the shape of the nose, eyes, skull. A year later, it is already clear what color the hair will be, the shape of the ears is clearly defined, the color of the eyes of babies changes.

Many parents are interested in the question of when the color of the eyes in children changes. This expectation is connected with the desire to find out who the baby looks like. The fact is that similarity is a relative concept. A child under four years of age may change the color of their hair or eyes several times. This is due to the amount of melanin in the body. It is impossible to say exactly when the color of the eyes in children changes. This process may occur frequently or only once. Scientists have been trying to figure it out for years now, but they can’t pinpoint exactly why this is happening. Geneticists argue that such processes are associated with adaptation. The fact is that the child has an established genotype, passed on to him equally from his mother and father. As for the phenotype, its level is low due to the lack of life experience. In the process of development and adaptation in a child, some genes change from recessive to dominant. Thus, a natural transformation takes place, which allows the baby to be ready for the conditions of life in which he will live. Outwardly, this manifests itself in the form of changes in the pigmentation of the iris, skin color, hair, etc.

Parents are often asked the question: "What time does the color of the child's eyes change?" According to statistics, more than 70% of children change their eye color at the age of one. This process may occur earlier, sometimes a little later. In extremely rare cases, children can change color up to the age of four. There are times when a baby had blue eyes for a year, and then during the year they turned brown. Sometimes the color of the iris (the shell of the eye) becomes permanent from the age of three months. It all depends on individual characteristics young body. So there is no single exact answer to the question of when the color of the eyes in children changes.

Body Features

Usually the color of the iris remains indeterminate for up to three to four months. Further, it becomes clear if the baby Blue-eyed children can have an indefinite color for up to a year, because the amount of melanin they have is lower than that of brown-eyed children. All babies have hazy gray eyes. This is only for children. As they grow older, the production of pigment occurs, and the color of the eyes gradually acquires certainty. Therefore, the question of when the color of the eyes in children changes cannot be answered specifically.

Newborns always have cloudy eyes. This is due to the peculiarities of their adaptation: in the womb there was no need to look due to the lack of light. But after birth, the baby becomes more accustomed to daylight within a month. It's kind of a mystery of nature. Here are a few more interesting facts about iris in children:

1. Eye color is unique! Not just because the ancient people considered the eyes mirrors of souls. Each inclusion is unique, like fingerprints.
2. The most common color of the iris is hazel, and the rarest is green. In some countries, people with were worshiped.
3. Less than one percent of children have heterochromia - eyes of different colors. Most often this phenomenon occurs in twins.
4. Geneticists believe that eye color is transmitted according to Thus, if parents have the same color of the iris, then their offspring will inherit the same color. If the partners have a child will have an average shade.

Any mother would like to know in advance what her baby will be like when she grows up. Unfortunately, this is impossible to predict. The appearance of a person changes throughout his life, and, looking at the face of a baby, it is unrealistic to guess which features he will retain and which he will lose later. It is highly likely that over time, the newborn will even change the color of his eyes! What is it connected with? And when does the shade of the eyes of the baby change?

What determines the color of the eyes of a newborn child, and why does it change?

Like many other external features and properties, the shade of the iris is “programmed” at the genetic level even before a person is born. In most cases, eye color is determined based on race. The following options are considered typical:

However, these patterns are not always observed. In genetics, direct inheritance plays a much larger role than racial traits, and the appearance of a child will depend primarily on the phenotypes of his parents.

One way or another, the color of the iris is a predefined property. Why does it change over time in some babies?

The pigmentation of the iris is responsible for a substance called melanin. In the body of a newborn, it is in short supply, which is why the eyes of most babies are so bright. Over time, the amount of pigment produced by the body increases, and if the child is "genetically programmed" to have a dark iris, its shade changes to the required one.

Color Inheritance Probability Table

There are methods that allow you to more or less accurately determine what the baby's eyes will become when he grows up. So, according to the laws of genetic inheritance external signs, the probability of the manifestation of one or another shade of the iris in a child is approximately as follows:

Predicting the color of the eyes of a newborn according to the table gives rather conditional results. Firstly, the iris of a pure shade is a rare phenomenon. In nature, more often there are options that have appeared as a result of mixing colors (gray, olive, amber, etc.). Secondly, when forming the phenotype, the genetic data of not only parents, but also other relatives of older generations are taken into account. That is, inheriting a rare eye color, for example, from a great-grandmother, is unlikely, but not impossible.

How and when does the shade of the eyes of a baby change after birth?

At what age does the amount of melanin in the child's body increase, and the iris acquires a genetically predetermined color for it? Due to the fact that the accumulation of pigment occurs gradually, the final shade is formed in several stages. Accordingly, the color of the eye of a newborn changes several times, finally being established only by the age of three. How long the process will take depends largely on what eye color the baby had initially.

blue iris

Sky-colored eyes in a newborn baby are the most common option, in which it is almost impossible to determine how the baby's appearance will change in the end. The blue color is changeable. In the first 2-4 years of a child's life, it can change repeatedly, becoming darker or lighter.

The fact that the shade of the iris will remain blue and will not change to gray or green can be judged no earlier than the baby celebrates its first birthday. If a brown or even darker eye color is predetermined for a child, most likely this will become noticeable a few months after the baby is born.

Gray shade of the iris

The majority of children are born light-eyed. The superiority in this respect is the blue color of the iris. However, babies whose eyes are gray from birth are a little less.

Gray color is almost as changeable as blue. Depending on the lighting or mood of the child during the day, the shade of the iris may become richer or paler. This property can be preserved for many years. The final color of the iris in gray-eyed people is formed by the age of 12. At the same time, a radical change in the main shade to brown, green or blue is almost impossible.

blue eye color

The indigo iris is, in a sense, a genetic mutation in which a rare shade is manifested due to the low cell density in the tissues. eyeball. This anomaly does not affect visual acuity. With age, the density of cells in the outer layer of the iris may normalize, and it will take on a more "neutral" blue or grayish tint. Usually this happens by 1.5-2 years.

Brown-eyed babies

If a child was born with a dark iris, it will never brighten. The gene responsible for the manifestation of a brown tint is dominant. Born with brown eyes, the baby will retain this color for the rest of his life (and pass on a similar phenotype to his children).

Perhaps in the first six months of a child's life, his irises will continue to darken. What color will turn out in the end - rich brown or black - is difficult to predict. There are cases when a baby with blue or gray eyes, the irises became dark brown in a few days and did not change anymore.

The rarest color of the iris (green)

The likelihood that the eyes of a newborn with their shade will resemble young grass is low. Even less is the chance that over time the irises will retain a rich green color. This is possible only if both parents of the baby have light eyes of the same shade. Otherwise, in the first few weeks of life, the iris of a newborn will acquire a gray or brown (less often blue) color.

Does a change in eye color affect a child's vision?

Many young parents begin to worry when they notice that the newborn's irises are becoming cloudy or pale. There is no need to be afraid of this. A gradual change in the shade of the iris is a normal phenomenon that will be observed from time to time until the color of the eyes is finally established. This process does not have a negative effect on visual acuity - as the color of the eye changes and the baby grows, his ability to see will improve.

Most children are born with farsightedness. In the first weeks of life, the visual acuity of the crumbs is only 50% of the norm. As the eyeball develops, during which the iris changes shade, the birth defect disappears. As a rule, by the age of 3, the child sees normally. Taking into account these facts, it is impossible to say that a change in the shade of the eyes affects vigilance.

Can various diseases affect the color and how?

A gradual change in the shade of the eye iris in infancy is normal, but if this happens abruptly, and even with an older child, this is a reason to think. There are a number of diseases that can manifest in this way, a list is given in the table below.

How not to miss the onset of the disease and notice warning signs in time? A change in eye color due to health problems occurs at that stage in the development of the disease, when it manifests itself in the form of all possible signs. Trying to diagnose a disease in a baby on your own by the shade of the irises is a difficult and completely useless task.

If you suspect that the change in the color of the eye is “not according to the scenario”, it would be wiser to show the baby to an ophthalmologist. The doctor will be able to dispel unfounded fears or prescribe the appropriate treatment for the child.

Even from the school biology course, we know that the dominant eye color is brown. That is, if one parent has them dark brown and the other is green, then their baby is likely to be brown-eyed. That is why many parents are surprised when they discover that the eyes of a newborn have a blue or purple tint. But you should not panic - the color of the eyes of newborns will not always be the same.

It has long been known that all children are born with the same eye color, which changes over time. When? Let's try to figure it out.

Why are all babies born light-eyed?

It's all about melanin, which is responsible for the formation of color pigment on the iris. Melanin begins to stand out under the influence of light. That is why the color of the eyes of a newborn changes only after birth. In the mother's abdomen, in the absence of light sources, melanin is not released in the child's body, so the crumbs' eyes have an indefinite blue-gray-violet color.

With the birth of a newborn, he opens his eyes, looks at the sun, at a burning light bulb or just out the window, and this, as it were, starts the production of melanocytes. Their number depends on the genetic predisposition.

Regardless of what eye color the baby had at birth, it will definitely change over time. Blue can turn into a bright blue or gray, and brown can darken, acquire a reddish or yellowish tint. It all depends on the heredity that the baby was awarded by his parents.

As mentioned earlier, the predominant and dominant color is dark brown. There are most people in the world with this color of the iris. In second place are blue-eyed (gray-eyed) people. People with green eyes are the fewest, their genes are less involved in the formation of eye color in newborns.

Thus, the following prediction can be made:

• parents with brown and green eyes are more likely to have a brown-eyed child;
• if one parent has blue (gray) irises, and the other has brown, then the chances are divided in half;
• the combination of "green" and "blue" genes excludes the possibility of having a brown-eyed child, but the likelihood that the baby will be blue-eyed is greater;
• if the eyes of both parents are blue, then the baby will have 100% of the same color;
• but brown-eyed parents have a chance to give birth to a child with bright eyes.

Nevertheless, it is important to remember that all calculations are conditional, and anything can happen in life. Even the genetic system sometimes fails.

When do babies change eye color?

It is impossible to unequivocally answer this question, since all children are different and the development of each newborn occurs according to an individual program.

In some newborns, the color changes to a permanent one in the first months of life. This usually applies to swarthy and brown-eyed babies. After a couple of months, the color of their eye changes to green or brown.

But usually the color of the eyes of newborns begins to change at 6-9 months, and this process can be delayed up to 3-5 years. There is also a later change in the color of the iris.

That is why you should not panic if your two-year-old baby has not yet changed eye color. This does not at all mean that he will forever remain so, just as it does not indicate the presence of deviations in the development of the child. Often the shade changes very slowly, and this process is not always noticeable to parents. Blue irises can gradually turn gray-green, and then turn into brown-green. And they can, on the contrary, brighten and become blue.

But sometimes the baby's eyes can change color as a result of some kind of illness or even stress. Factors that seem insignificant at first glance, such as weather, lighting, mood, can also affect.

Do not be surprised and panic if during the first year of a newborn's life the color of his eye changes several times. This is especially true for fair-haired babies. Their eyes can take on a variety of shades - from light blue to bright blue.

1. Only 2% of the world's population has green eyes.
2. Eye color depends on nationality and place of residence. Among Russians, gray and blue colors are more common, and brown is only 30%, Ukrainians and Belarusians have brown-eyed people 50%, and among Spaniards, Hispanics and Brazilians -80% or more.
3. A rare genetic disorder in newborns is heterochromia. The color of the eyes of such crumbs varies.
4. The absence of melanin pigment in a newborn is called albinism. The color of the eyes of such a baby is red.
5. It is impossible to determine with 100% accuracy what your baby's eyes will be like.
6. Eye color can be affected by jaundice. With this disease, the squirrels turn yellow, and it is not possible to say exactly what color the baby's eye is.

Conclusion

Whatever the baby is, for his parents he still exists and will be the most beautiful and beloved child in the world.

Remember that not only in the color of the eyes and facial features of the child you can find your reflection. It is much more important to raise a baby correctly and grow a real person out of it. Then, looking at your son or daughter, every time you will experience a sense of satisfaction and pride, no matter what color your child's eyes are.

Caucasian children, as a rule, are born with cloudy blue, blue or grayish eyes, rarely with dark ones. This feature is normal and should not cause concern, including about the baby's vision. The blue color of the iris does not always remain for life. There are certain periods when the color of the eyes in newborns changes. The rest depends on a number of factors, including heredity.

The working theory of genetics is the transmission of eye color according to Mendel's law, which refers to strong (dominant) and weak (recessive) traits. The dark pigment of the iris is considered dominant and will appear in offspring in almost 100% of cases, especially if grandparents also had dark eyes. In light-eyed parents, if their ancestors were light-eyed, the child is also likely to be a carrier of the recessive gene.

Approximately 1% of children have heterochromia, that is, eyes of different colors, for example, one is gray, the other is brown. This is a variant of the norm, a “play of nature”, but it would not be superfluous to have a periodic examination by an ophthalmologist in order to exclude the possibility of pathology, in particular, genetic.

What causes eye color

Sometimes, even if the child was born light-eyed, after six months, a year or three years, he can become brown-eyed. Why do eyes change color? The fact is that the accumulation of melanin pigment (responsible for the “color type” of a person, including the iris) occurs gradually, as the functionality of melanocyte cells grows. The density of the fibers of the iris is also important. Much depends on the heredity and individual characteristics of the baby. Accordingly, heredity is also responsible for the final amount of melanin.

If the iris turns brown, this is a sign that a lot of melanin is being produced. If it remains green, gray, blue, then there is little pigment. Genes are responsible not only for eye color, but also for how it changes with age. In about 15% of white people, the shade of the iris changes during puberty or adulthood.

Melanin protects the body from exposure to ultraviolet rays. In the process of its formation, the amino acid tyrosine and the fat-like substance cholesterol, which is present in animal products, are involved. Therefore, such food stimulates the production of melanin. Increasing the level of pigment "artificially" can only affect the color of the skin (it darkens), but not the eyes.

You can notice whether the color of the eyes in newborns changes, even within a day. Usually in light-eyed babies under the age of six months, the color of the iris is pale blue during wakefulness. Immediately after sleep, during crying or when the baby is hungry, the iris is darker, sometimes cloudy.

Some changes in the "dark" side may be noticeable already in the first month of a baby's life. If dark specks appear in the blue iris, it will most likely darken over time. Changes to the "bright" side never happen. The color of the iris is determined only by three or four, sometimes by five years.

Eye color and vision

Sometimes parents are worried about the color of the eyes in newborns, they wonder if the kids are able to fully see. Doctors test this by observing the pupil's reaction to light. The eyes of newborns are the same in structure as those of adults, but their vision has not yet acquired the fullness of functions. The insufficient formation of the visual system, in particular, the oculomotor muscles, is indicated by the physiological strabismus in many babies.

The visual acuity of the newborn is low: he distinguishes only light and shadows, but not objects or images. In addition, the baby still has farsightedness (he does not distinguish close objects well) and a narrow field of vision (he perceives only what is directly in front of him). But already in the second week, it is noticeable how the child stops looking at something for a few seconds, and at two months he already focuses his attention well and is able to follow moving objects. At the age of six months, the baby begins to distinguish between simple figures, at the age of one, he understands what kind of drawing is in front of him, and consciously examines it.

By about a year, a child's visual acuity is 50% of the "adult" norm. Despite the fact that at this age the color of the eyes also becomes clearer, experts are sure that the shade of the iris and visual function are not connected in any way. But there are situations when the color of the eyes of infants changes.

Eye tint and diseases

As with adults, the condition of the child sometimes affects the shade of the iris. The cause may be physiological jaundice, which is quite common in newborns. The organs of a newly born baby are not yet able to fully fulfill their tasks, this also applies to the functions of the liver. The skin and eye sclera (whites) become yellowish. Eye color is also difficult to determine.

The way oxygen enters the body of a newborn baby has changed - now he breathes with lungs, and he no longer needs fetal hemoglobin. Red blood cells (erythrocytes) are destroyed as unnecessary, which causes yellowing of the skin and sclera. Physiological jaundice goes away on its own after a few days, when the last destroyed cells are removed from the body. If this condition is prolonged, doctors will check the child for various functional disorders and liver diseases, up to hepatitis. Problems like these can affect a baby's ability to see.

Thus, when the color of the eyes changes in newborns, this is usually associated with the normal processes of growth, the formation of the body. Predicting what the eyes of the baby will be is quite difficult, since modern science does not yet have comprehensive information on this subject. Even the most experienced doctor or geneticist will not tell you what shade of the iris the child will “get” - not only because a number of factors affect this, but also because there are exceptions to any rule.

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