Why Some Babies' Eyes Turn From Blue to Brown

Did you know that even if you have brown or green eyes now, you may have been born with blue eyes? Many babies, including most Caucasian babies, are born with blue eyes.

Melanin, the same pigment which determines skin color and the extent to which your skin can tan in the sun, determines the darkness of your eyes. Often, when babies are born, the melanin has not fully deposited in the irises of their eyes, or the melanin which is there has not yet been darkened by ultraviolet light.

Over time, eyes which were blue at birth may turn brown, green, or other shades. Most eye color stabilizes by one to three years of age, but some people experience eye color changes throughout their lives.

A small amount of melanin will cause eyes to be blue. A large amount will create dark brown eyes. The amount of pigment in eyes is determined by genetics. Hormonal changes can switch genes on and off, so it is not uncommon for teenagers to experience lightening or darkening of their eyes during puberty.

Just as people with lighter skin are more sensitive to sunlight, people with lighter colored eyes are more susceptible to sun damage of the eyes causing cataracts and macular degeneration.

Curiously, although both kittens and puppies are born with their eyes closed, when they open kittens usually have blue eyes, but puppies do not.

You can use the links at the bottom of this page to find a qualified ophthalmologist in your area.