Eye color is a complex trait, one which scientists are only just starting to discover. There are many genes involved in giving a particular color to one’s eyes. These genes also impart our skin and hair colors and also play an important role in eye and brain development.
Some statistics about eye color that you might not have heard of:
- The most common race in the world is Asian and since most Asians have brown eyes, it is the most common eye color in the world.
- Europeans generally do not have brown eyes.
- Non-brown eyes are rarely seen in non-European races such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria etc.
What determines the eye color?
Eye colors are formed due to melanin, a pigment in the iris. This is the same pigment that imparts the color to our skin and hair. Melanin itself is of two types: eumelanin and pheomelanin. Eumelanin is blackish brown in color while pheomelanin is reddish yellow. The ratio of these two melanin types determines the color of the eye.
- People with brown or black eyes have more amount of eumelanin than pheomelanin.
- People with blue, hazel or green eyes have more pheomelanin than eumelanin (and overall lesser melanin than dark eyed people).
- Red and yellow colored eyes are rare, since light scatters off the proteins in the eye.
Most popular eye color: is it the rarest?
If rarest eye color makes it the most popular eye color in the world, then blue eyes are considered quite rare. In fact; the blue eye color is rapidly on the decline as it is recessive trait (which means that it takes multiple genes to give birth to a blue eyed baby). Only 1 out of every 6 individuals has this color, so if you have blue eyes, you can consider yourself lucky. It is more common in people from Europe and United States.
Following the popularity of Twilight, the young adult vampire romance series, the Amber eye color has gained notoriety as one of the most popular eye color especially among the teens. Amber eye color is actually a result of presence of lipochrome, a pigment with strong yellow and copper undertones in the iris. This eye color is seen in wolves and is known as the ‘wolf eye’.
Red eyed people are also the rarest. They are typically albinos or people who have blood leaking into their irises.
And, while discussing rarest eye colors, we must not forget to mention black. There is a great debate surrounding this particular eye color. Most people believe that black eyes are actually darkest brown. But, if black eyes do exist, then they are certainly quite rare.
Choosing contact lenses in the most popular eye color
If you have been researching about the most popular eye color, then we assume you are looking to change your eye color through the use of contact lenses. If that is the case; then naturally you must wear colored contacts based on your skin and hair color. If you have darker skin or warmer skin tones with yellow or golden undertones, then the most suitable colored contact lenses are hazel, honey, green or light brown. Alternatively, for people with cooler skin tones that have bluish undertones, the most popular eye color contact lenses are violet and blue. Similarly, people with black hair will look good with blue eye color contact lenses whereas those with blonde or red hair could opt for blue or green eyes.
