Can you get heterochromia iridium

But instead of affecting the area around the pupil, segmental heterochromia affects a larger portion of the iris. It can occur in one or both eyes. To understand possible causes of central heterochromia, and heterochromia in general, you need to look at the relationship between melanin and eye color. Melanin is a pigment that gives human skin and hair their color. A person with fair skin has less melanin than a person with dark skin. Melanin also determines eye color. People with less pigment in their eyes have a lighter eye color than someone with more pigment.

If you have heterochromia, the amount of melanin in your eyes varies. This variation causes different colors in different parts of your eye. The exact cause of this variation is unknown. Central heterochromia often occurs sporadically at birth. It can appear in someone with no family history of heterochromia. Some people develop heterochromia later in life, however.

This condition can occur in anyone, irrespective of whether or not there is a history of Heterochromia in the family. Some celebrities with congenital Heterochromia are:.

Additionally, this condition can even develop because of an injury, illness or medications. It is called acquired Heterochromia. A famous celebrity who has acquired Heterochromia is David Bowie. It can be caused by the following diseases:. Though there might be other variations, most people can be categorized into three types of Heterochromia. However, heterochromia iridis rarely is part of an inherited genetic syndrome.

For example, heterochromia iridis is reported in some people with Waardenburg syndrome , which is generally inherited in an autosomal dominant manner. Find a Specialist Find a Specialist. Healthcare Resources To find a medical professional who specializes in genetics, you can ask your doctor for a referral or you can search for one yourself. You can also learn more about genetic consultations from MedlinePlus Genetics.

Learn More Learn More. Where to Start The American Academy of Ophthalmology offers a summary on heterochromia, which includes a list of possible causes. MedlinePlus was designed by the National Library of Medicine to help you research your health questions, and it provides more information about this topic.

In-Depth Information The Monarch Initiative brings together data about this condition from humans and other species to help physicians and biomedical researchers. This initiative is a collaboration between several academic institutions across the world and is funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Visit the website to explore the biology of this condition. Each entry has a summary of related medical articles. It is meant for health care professionals and researchers. PubMed is a searchable database of medical literature and lists journal articles that discuss Heterochromia iridis.

Click on the link to view a sample search on this topic. Don't it make my blue eyes brown: heterochromia and other abnormalities of the iris. Eye Lond. Have a question? References References.

Ur Rehman H. Canadian Medical Association Journal. The ophthalmologist will confirm the appearance of heterochromia and look for any underlying causes. In most cases, there will be no concerning disease or condition causing the eye color variation. However, it is important to rule out these conditions.

If you get heterochromia as an adult or it changes in appearance, see your ophthalmologist. He or she can perform a detailed eye exam to rule out any underlying causes and come up with a treatment plan if necessary.

Treatment for heterochromia focuses on treating any underlying causes for the condition. If there are no other issues with the eyes, no treatment may be needed. About Foundation Museum of the Eye.