Any Connection between Eye Color & Eye Disease?

Do you think the colour of your eyes can make you vulnerable to eye diseases? You may think your eyes are beautiful with different shades and are the window to your soul. However, would you be surprised by the information that your eye colour may predispose you to some medical conditions like skin or eye cancer?

Eyes can change colour by undiagnosed disease, new medications, or trauma. A professor from the Yale School of Medicine in Ophthalmology has mentioned it is due to changes in the iris, the coloured part of your eyes, or due to something occurring in another part of the eye that changes the colour of the eyes.

Here is a look at what eye colour means for eye diseases.

Brown Eyes Lower Incidence of Macular Degeneration and Diabetic Retinopathy

Age-Related Macular Degeneration AMD is an age-related problem that damages the macula in the retina. It results in losing central vision, making it challenging to see the finer details of things. It is the primary reason for vision loss among people over 50. Diabetic retinopathy is a disorder associated with diabetes affecting the process in the retina. It can also cause vision loss over time. The pigment might offer some protection, but the American Academy of Ophthalmology confirms that people with brown eyes have lower chances of developing AMD or diabetic retinopathy.

Cataracts Are More Likely in People with Dark Eyes

If you have dark eyes, you must consider a comprehensive eye exam because research reveals you are most likely to develop cataracts. Studies conducted in 2014 found darker eye colour is associated with increased risk of cataracts. However, researchers are still determining why it is true. The review’s authors speculated that increased melanin in the iris of brown-eyed people uses a buildup of heat in the eyes associated with cataracts. Therefore, the higher risk of cataracts in brown-eyed people may not be associated with the eye colour but with your location and where you live. The connection between sunlight exposure and cataracts is well-known, and most people with dark eyes live closer to the equator. More research is essential to determine the link, but no matter what colour you have, you must wear sunglasses providing 100 percent protection from UV light.

What Do the Changes in Eye Color Indicate for Your Health?

If you notice eye colour changes, you should schedule an appointment with an eye clinic to get them examined by a doctor. The changes can indicate many conditions, primarily benign but some potentially severe. They might include a hazy blue ring or white forming around the cornea, pigment loss, iris freckles, red in the clear covering over the eye, black pupils, different coloured eyes by different pupil sizes, lens clouding, brown eyes becoming darker or hazel eyes turning brown, et cetera.

If you notice the changes to your eyes, it may indicate you have eye diseases that need treatment from the Seton optometrist. At the same time, you must realize your eye colour should remain constant without any unlike children’s eyes that change colour from writer to darker during their initial years of life as their body develops pigment. However, if you notice colour changes in your eyes, it is not a reason for panic but an indication that you must get your eyes checked before you develop a severe condition causing vision loss.

The next time you look at yourself in the mirror, concentrate on your eye colour, looking closely for changes you think appear different. Scheduling an eye exam with the optometrist in Seton requires a call rather than more. So spare a minute to make the call and arrange your appointment for an exam that will prove beneficial in many ways and contribute to saving your vision.

If you develop AMD or diabetic retinopathy, the optometrist in Seton can recommend measures to manage the age-related issue and control glucose levels in your blood to manage diabetic retinopathy. Unfortunately, cataracts will require surgery with scalpels or lasers to clear your vision. Therefore it helps if you get your eyes checked annually or sooner if the optometrist recommends it to ensure you don’t develop vision loss that will leave you incapacitated for life.

If you notice eye colour changes, do not consider it an aesthetic issue because it is associated with eye diseases. Instead, schedule an appointment with Premier Eye Care — Seton to check your eyes and receive a remedy if any conditions affect you.