Eye color is primarily determined by the amount of melanin present in the iris.
The Role of Melanin
The iris, the colored part of your eye, has layers in the front that determine its color. The amount of melanin, a type of pigment, in these layers is crucial.
- High Melanin: People with brown eyes have a large amount of melanin in the front layers of their iris.
- Low Melanin: People with blue eyes have significantly less melanin in the same layers of the iris.
| Eye Colour | Melanin Level |
|---|---|
| Brown | High |
| Blue | Low |
This simple relationship between melanin levels and eye color explains the fundamental mechanism behind why we have different eye colors. The variation in the production and distribution of melanin by melanocytes within the iris is what dictates whether an individual will have brown, blue or other coloured eyes.
