Does Eye Color Affect Vision?
Eye color is one of the many genetic characteristics that make us who we are. But are some eye colors more likely to cause health issues or make you need corrective lenses? While eye color can contribute to your physical comfort in certain lighting, it's not a quick way to know if you'll need glasses or develop a vision-related medical condition. Whatever your eye color, regular eye exams and protecting your eyes from UV light exposure are the best ways to keep your eyes healthy and catch vision issues early.
Common Questions About Eye Color and Eye Health
Our eyes are small but mighty. They adapt constantly to changing light conditions and process huge amounts of information in seconds. Discover more about your amazing eyes with these frequently asked questions about eye color and health:
Why Are Eyes Different Colors?
The iris is the part of your eye that gives it color and regulates light. Like our skin, our irises contain the pigment melanin. More melanin in your iris means a darker eye color, like brown. Lighter eye colors, such as blue and green, have less melanin. Some people even have a genetic mutation called heterochromia that causes their eyes to be two different colors. Your genes determine how much melanin is stored in the iris, so your genetic code is the secret to eye color.
Are Lighter Eyes More Sensitive to Light?
Yes, lighter eye colors are more sensitive to bright light. Why? The melanin in your iris filters out ultraviolet (UV) light. So, the more melanin you have in your iris, the less UV light can pass through the eye. This means that blue eyes have greater light sensitivity than brown eyes. However, everyone should use sunglasses to protect their eyes from too much UV Light, regardless of eye color.
Are Vision Problems Genetic?
Some eye conditions pass through families, such as age-related macular degeneration, color blindness and cataracts. If you're aware of any eye diseases in your family history, it's important to discuss them with your doctor.
Environmental factors, like exposure to UV light and airborne debris, can also affect your eye health. Prolonged exposure to UV light has been linked to cataracts and certain types of cancer.
Which Eye Color Wears Glasses Most?
Eye color doesn't determine whether you'll need glasses. If you see a large percentage of people with brown eyes wearing glasses, it's likely because over half the world has brown eyes. Blue eyes are the next most common eye color, and green eyes are the least common.
Get the Best Glasses for Every Eye Color With Lensabl
No matter your eye color, you can find frames and lenses that match your style and price point. Shop our online collection to find frames in earth tones to complement your brown eyes or tortiseshell colors to emphasize brighter eye colors, like blue or green. Save money when you add lenses with UV or blue light protection to a pair of frames you already own and love.
If you need to renew or update your prescription, we offer online vision tests for your convenience. Make Lensabl your one-stop shop for glasses today.