What is Heterochromia?
I love meeting new people. I don’t know about you, but I love looking into people’s eyes when we have conversations; I hear it makes you seem interested and confident in whatever discussion you’re having.
But what would be your reaction when you meet up with someone and find out both their iris are of different colours? Or one of each iris is of different colours? Hold up, do you mean there’s a thing like that? Like people can have different colours of iris and they exist?
Yes, people like this exist and this thing is called heterochromia. Never heard of this before? Or you’ve heard it from one or two places and you don’t know what it is about? No need to worry, in this article, we’ll be looking at what heterochromia is all about, it’s discovery, types, causes and all you need to know about it. Let’s dive in!
Table of Contents
1. Heterochromia definition.
2. Types of heterochromia.
3. Causes of heterochromia.
4. Percentage of people living with this condition.
5. Is there a treatment?
6. Reasons heterochromia is common in animals than humans.
7. Conclusion
HETEROCHROMIA DEFINITION
Heterochromia is derived from two Greek words “heteros” and “chroma” which means “different colour.” Even though this definition isn’t limited to eye colour, it also describes differences in other parts of the body like the skin and hair.
There are other terms used to describe heterochromia. They are: heterochromia iridis and heterochromia iridium.
It is unknown who discovered heterochromia and when, but one of the first cases was with Anastasius I. He was a Roman emperor who ruled from 491 to 518. He was nicknamed DICORUS, which means TWO-PUPILED, reason being that he had one black eye and one blue eye.
Another case was documented about Alexandra the Great which was noted by the historian Plutarch. It was said that one blue eye and one brown eye.
TYPES OF HETEROCHROMIA
- Central heterochromia.
This is characterized by having different colours in the same iris. This implies that the outer ring of the iris is Colour A(hazel) while the inner ring is Colour B(green). This is where the term “cat-eye” was derived.
2. Complete heterochromia.
Our case examples above, Alexandra the Great and Anastasius, they both had complete heterochromia. In simpler terms, people with this condition have different-coloured eyes, resulting in Colour A(blue) in one eye and Colour B(brown) in the other.
3. Sectoral or Segmental heterochromia.
This is often said to be the rarest of all and is also said to be unique and captivating. What occurs, in this case, is that it is similar to central heterochromia, but there’s a catch. A larger part of the iris is affected which can develop in one eye or both eyes. This kind of heterochromia is like an irregular spot and it doesn’t create a ring around the pupil.
CAUSES OF HETEROCHROMIA
1. Trauma
2. Diabetes
3. Glaucoma
4. Daune Syndrome: People with this condition have difficulty moving one or both eyes inward and/or outward.
5. Acquired Horner’s Syndrome: This is a rare condition that causes damages to the nerves connecting the brain and the eye.
6. Eye surgery
7. Waardenburg Syndrome: A genetic disease that results in changes in the colour of eyes, skin and hair.
8. Bleeding in the eye
PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH THIS CONDITION
Heterochromia can be present at birth(congenital) or it could be acquired. Most research has shown that approximately 6 in 1000 have it; some also say 1% of people throughout the world have it. But it is seen frequently in dogs.
IS THERE A TREATMENT?
It isn’t necessary to treat this condition, however, if there’s an underlying condition that caused it, treatment from an ophthalmologist should be provided.
REASONS HETEROCHROMIA IS COMMON IN ANIMALS
Having a pet with different coloured eyes is a quirky trait many if not all pet owners appreciate in their furry companions. Even though this occurs in humans, it’s commonly seen in humans.
It is possible for an injury or illness to cause heterochromia in animals, but in some cases, they are genetic. This type of trait is commonly found in domesticated cats like the Turkish Angora and the Japanese Bobtail and dogs like Malamutes, Huskies, Shetland Sheepdogs.
Let’s look at a few reasons this is so:
1. Like humans, animals have genes, and thus determine the colour of their eyes and fur.
2. Dogs typically have golden or dark brown eyes, which signifies an excess of pigment.
3. Animals are known to interbreed. If two cats (or dogs) from the same litter share the gene for heterochromia and they mate, the offspring is more likely to carry on the trait.
TAKEAWAY
Woohoo! Glad you gave this a good read.
You now have an idea of what heterochromia is, its types, causes and reason it is more common in animals than humans. Be rest assured that people like this exist and when you come in contact with them, you can differentiate which is which.
You have an idea you want to share? Let’s have it in the comment section.
