Why born with blue eyes

Turn on more accessible mode. Turn off more accessible mode. Skip Ribbon Commands. Skip to main content. Turn off Animations. Turn on Animations. Our Sponsors Log in Register. Log in Register. Ages and Stages. Healthy Living. Safety and Prevention. Family Life. Health Issues. Tips and Tools. This condition is rare and usually nothing serious. What is Melanin?

Eye Color and Genetics Having blue eyes at birth has nothing to do with genetics. Most of the Time, Blue Eyes Darken When a baby is born with blue eyes, it has to do with the fact that very little melanin has built up.

As light enters the eye, most of the light is absorbed in the back layer, while particles in the spongy middle layer stroma scatter the remaining light reflecting back out of the eye. Most of that scattered light that gets back out is blue light, giving blue eyes their color. Those influential melanocytes are also hard at work in hair and skin, giving them their colors, too.

More melanin in your system means a darker complexion. This explains why people with darker skin tend to have darker-colored eyes, too. But there are always exceptions. Acclaimed African American actor James Earl Jones, for example, has blue eyes, likely the result of having ancestors of European descent with blue eyes. Eye color often changes during the first year or even longer.

That means your blue-eyed newborn may have brown eyes by the time they take their first steps. The genetics are somewhat complicated. But in simple terms, two blue-eyed parents, for example, are more likely to have a blue-eyed baby.

But there are no guarantees. Likewise, parents with brown eyes will usually produce a brown-eyed child, but not always. The eye color of a grandparent can change the odds a little. While it was once believed that parents with brown eyes could not produce a child with blue eyes, it can — and does!

Find a pediatric vision specialist near you. Many babies will have light-colored eyes at first, but iris color continues to develop for months after birth. Some babies may be born with blue eyes, but others are born with brown or hazel eyes. In fact, blue eyes may be a little less common than you think. A study involving newborns revealed that almost two-thirds of them were born with brown eyes.