{"id":1830,"date":"2026-10-20T08:52:33","date_gmt":"2026-10-20T08:52:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/eye-glossary\/heterochromia\/"},"modified":"2026-10-20T12:56:53","modified_gmt":"2026-10-20T12:56:53","slug":"heterochromia","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/laseristanbulclinic.com\/en\/eye-glossary\/heterochromia\/","title":{"rendered":"Heterochromia: Different Coloured Eyes, Causes, Types and When to Worry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
  1. Home<\/a><\/li>
  2. Knowledge centre<\/a><\/li>
  3. Eye glossary A\u2013Z<\/a><\/li>
  4. Heterochromia: Different Coloured Eyes, Causes, Types and When to Worry<\/span><\/li><\/ol><\/div>\t\t\t

    Heterochromia: Different Coloured Eyes, Causes, Types and When to Worry<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

    Medically reviewed by {{surgeon}}<\/span><\/strong>, {{surgeon’s title and specialty}}<\/span>, on {{review date}}<\/span>. Last updated {{date}}<\/span>.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

    \"Illustration<\/figure><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
    \n\t\t<\/svg>Definition<\/span>\n\t\t\t

    Heterochromia<\/strong> (noun; also heterochromia iridis, from the Greek for “different colour”)<\/em>: heterochromia is a difference in iris colour. It can mean one iris is a different colour from the other (for example one blue eye and one brown eye), part of one iris differs in colour, or an inner ring differs from the outer iris. It may be present from birth and harmless, or it may appear later in life as a sign of injury, inflammation, medication effect or another eye or body condition, which is why a new colour difference should always be examined by an ophthalmologist.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

    In short:<\/strong> an eye colour difference that has been there since birth, with no other symptoms, is usually a harmless variation. A colour difference that is new, changing or accompanied by pain, redness, blurred vision or a drooping eyelid needs a prompt eye examination. At Laser Istanbul Clinic, Do\u00e7. Dr. Muhammet Derda \u00d6zer (Do\u00e7. is the Turkish title for Associate Professor; uveitis, ocular oncology and cataract) and Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sat\u0131c\u0131 (glaucoma and cataract) examine and treat the eye conditions that can sit behind acquired heterochromia.<\/p><\/div>\n\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

    \n\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t

    Heterochromia: key facts<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t
    \n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>What it is<\/span><\/dt>
    A difference in the colour of the iris (the coloured part of the eye), between the two eyes or within one eye<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Three patterns<\/span><\/dt>
    Complete (one iris entirely different from the other), sectoral or partial (part of one iris), central (an inner ring differs from the outer iris)<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Present from birth?<\/span><\/dt>
    Often, as a benign variation or from a genetic or developmental condition; it can also be acquired later<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>What decides iris colour<\/span><\/dt>
    The amount and distribution of melanin pigment in the iris<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Usually harmless?<\/span><\/dt>
    Often when present from birth and isolated; not when new, changing or accompanied by other signs<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Does it affect sight?<\/span><\/dt>
    Not by itself. Any vision problem comes from an underlying cause, not from the colour difference<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Treatment<\/span><\/dt>
    Treat the cause if there is one; if it is isolated, no treatment may be needed<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
    <\/svg>Specialist<\/span><\/dt>
    Ophthalmologist; at Laser Istanbul Clinic, Do\u00e7. Dr. Muhammet Derda \u00d6zer for uveitis and ocular tumours, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Sat\u0131c\u0131 for glaucoma<\/dd><\/dl><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n
    \n\t\t

    What are the types of heterochromia?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

    The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) describes three patterns. Which pattern you have is a description of how the eyes look; it does not by itself say whether the cause is harmless.<\/p>\n\t\t\t

    Type<\/th>What you see<\/th>Example<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    Complete heterochromia<\/strong><\/th>One iris is entirely a different colour from the other<\/td>One brown eye and one blue eye<\/td><\/tr>
    Sectoral (partial) heterochromia<\/strong><\/th>Part of one iris is a different colour from the rest of that same iris<\/td>A brown wedge or patch in a blue iris<\/td><\/tr>
    Central heterochromia<\/strong><\/th>An inner ring around the pupil differs from the outer part of the iris<\/td>A golden-brown ring around the pupil in a green or blue eye<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/div>

    Doctors also describe the affected iris as hyperchromic<\/strong> (darker than expected) or hypochromic<\/strong> (paler than expected), because that can help point to the cause. Some textbooks reserve heterochromia iridum<\/em> for a difference between the two eyes and heterochromia iridis<\/em> for a difference within one iris; most patient sources use the terms interchangeably.<\/p>\n

    Heterochromia is also described by when it starts. Congenital<\/strong> heterochromia is present at birth or appears in early childhood. Acquired<\/strong> heterochromia develops later, after an injury, disease or medication.<\/p><\/div>\t<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n

    \n\t\t

    What causes heterochromia?<\/h2>\n\t\t\t

    Iris colour depends mainly on how much melanin pigment there is in the iris and how it is spread. Anything that changes the number of pigment cells, the pigment they make or the pigment deposited in the iris can produce a colour difference.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

    \n\t\t\t\t

    Congenital (from birth) causes<\/h3>

    AAO states that babies can be born with heterochromia either as a benign variation<\/strong> or because of an underlying condition. Congenital heterochromia can be inherited: a case report in the Journal of Ophthalmic and Vision Research<\/em> describes a family in which sectoral heterochromia passed through three generations in an autosomal dominant pattern. Genetic mosaicism and chimerism (cells with different genetic make-up within the same person) have also been described as causes.<\/p>\n

    Conditions that can come with congenital heterochromia include:<\/p>\n