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Eye Colour Percentage: What is the Most Common Eye Colour?
Published on February 19th, 2025
The eyes are often the first thing people notice about the face, and their colour is their most defining physical attribute. Eye colour distribution is varied, with brown being the most dominant eye colour. The factors that go into determining eye colour include genetics and melanin exposure. Read on to discover how common each eye colour is as well as eye colour myths and perceptions.
Different Types of Eye Colours
There are several different types of eye colours including brown, amber, green, hazel, blue, and grey.
What is the Most Common Eye Colour in the World?
Brown is the most common eye colour in the world. The Cleveland Clinic organisation states that more than half of the world’s population has brown eyes.
How Rare are Blue Eyes?
People with blue eyes make up approximately 8-10% of the population according to My Vision Organisation. They are considered a genetic alteration occurring around 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. In blue-eyed people, the black layer of the iris has brown pigment, but the front has no pigment. The front layer of the iris and its fibres interact with light and absorb some of the longer light rays. As a result, the eye appears a blue colour.
What Percentage of People Have Green Eyes?
According to My Vision Organisation, the percentage of people that have green eyes in the world is estimated to only be 2%. They are most prevalent in Ireland or Scotland where 86% of the population has blue or green eyes.
What Percentage of People Have Grey Eyes?
The percentage of people with grey eyes is around 3% of the global population according to the Vision Centre Organisation. Grey eyes can come in various shades from light to dark grey, and can even look a bit blue. They are most common in Northern and Central European countries like Iceland, Ireland, Sweden and Norway.
What Percentage of People Have Hazel Eyes?
The percentage of people that have hazel eyes is 5%. Hazel eyes are a mix of brown, green, and gold. They often have a different hue around the pupil and the outer rim of the eye. Hazel eyes are common among people in North Africa, the Middle East, Brazil, and those of Spanish descent.
What Percentage of People Have Amber Eyes?
The percentage of people with amber eyes is around 5%. While amber and hazel eyes may get easily confused, amber eyes are a mix of yellow and orange. They are common among people in Asia, South America and South Africa.
What Percentage of People Have Brown Eyes?
It is believed 70% to 80% of people have brown eyes. They are most likely found in people of African and Asian descent due to higher levels of melanin exposure.
Is there a Black Eye Colour?
There is no black eye colour. While some irises will look black, this is really a dark brown
Do Eye Colours Vary by Region or Ethnicity?
Yes, eye colours vary by region or ethnicity due to environmental factors. People with European ancestry will often have lighter eyes such as blue, green, or lighter browns due to lessened melanin exposure. Contrastingly, those in Africa and Asian countries often have darker eyes due to higher melanin levels that help protect them against the sun. These environmental factors are a part of shaping eye colours in different regions and ethnicities.
What Determines Eye Colour?
Eye colour is determined by the amount of melanin in the iris, the iris structure and genetics. The more melanin the iris has, the darker it will be. This means that brown eyes have a lot of melanin while blue eyes do not, for example. The iris structure plays a key part in light absorption and scattering which in turn contributes to variations in eye colour by affecting how light interacts with melanin in the iris. The gene OCA2 is involved in the production, transport and storage of melanin. While this is the most notable gene, there are apparently 50 plus genes associated with eye colour. According to Professor David Evans, a study conducted found there are a “further 50 genomic regions associated with eye colour – many…linked with melanin pigmentation… others associated with the structure and formation of the iris.”
How is Eye Colour Inherited?
Eye colour is inherited polygenically. This means multiple genes contribute to eye colour. The primary genes are OCA2 AND HERC2, which control melanin production. Brown eyes are dominant genes, while blue and green eyes are recessive. The terms dominant and recessive are used in relation to each other to describe how likely it is for a certain phenotype to pass from parent to offspring.
Can Eye Colour Change Over Time?
Eye colour can potentially change over time. Iris freckles are small brown spots on the surface of the iris that often come after sun exposure. These can change your eye colour, and are common and usually harmless. However, conditions such as Fuchs Heterochromic Iridocyclitis can be a more serious factor in eye colour change. This condition involves the inflammation of some of the structures of the front of the eye, including the iris. Symptoms include a loss of pigment in the iris. If untreated, it can sometimes lead to glaucoma, which can cause vision loss if not treated.
What is the Role of Melanin in Eye Colour?
Melanin plays a big role in determining eye colour. A strong amount of melanin in the iris will lead to a darker eye colour. Therefore, people with brown eyes will have a large amount of melanin in the iris, while people with blue eyes will have a lesser amount of melanin.
What Eye Colours are More Sensitive to Light?
The eye colour that is more sensitive to light is blue eyes. According to All About Vision, more melanin in the iris helps to prevent UV radiation from damaging the back of the eye. Blue eyes contain less melanin, making them more sensitive to light. Those with blue eyes may want to use photochromic lenses to ensure protection when entering sunny conditions.
How Does Eye Colour Affect Vision?
Eye colour can affect vision related issues. According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, brown eyes may indicate health benefits such as a lower incidence of developing melanoma, macular degeneration and diabetic-related retinopathy. However, brown eyes may be at increased risk of developing cataracts. Contrastingly, blue or grey-coloured irises are at a greater risk of ocular melanoma than those with brown eyes. According to All About Vision, more melanin in the iris may help to prevent UV radiation from damaging the back of the eye. As blue and grey eyes have less melanin present, photochromic lenses can ensure protection during sunny conditions.
What are Eye Colour Myths?
Some common eye colour myths include that eye colour does not change after the newborn stage and that diet can change eye colour. A myth is that eye colour does not change after the newborn stage. According to Dr Zepeda of the Dean McGee Eye Institute, babies develop their true eye colour between around six to nine months of age. However, while it is unlikely, eye colour can change after this stage. Iris freckles can emerge as small brown spots on the surface of the iris that come after sun exposure. These can change your eye colour, and are common and usually harmless. Conditions such as Fuchs Heterochromic Iridocyclitis can be a more serious factor in eye colour change as a symptom includes a loss of pigment in the iris. These conditions can alter eye colour as you get older, beyond the newborn stage. Diet cannot change eye colour. This was a theory popularised among those who adopted a raw food diet. A healthy diet rich in vitamin A and luteins can improve eye health. However, there is no scientific evidence to suggest it can alter eye colour.
How does Eye Colour Influence Perceived Personality?
Eye colour can influence perceived personality. For example, brown eyes are often associated with trustworthiness, blue eyes with calmness and green eyes with charisma and mystery. However eye colour is not the sole physical attribute to influence personality perceptions. The National Library of Medicine in 2013 investigated whether eye colour influences perceptions of trustworthiness. They found that although the brown-eyed faces were perceived as more trustworthy than the blue-eyed ones, it was not brown eye colour that solely that caused the stronger perception of trustworthiness but rather the facial features associated with brown eyes. While there might be stereotypes around certain eye colour connotations, it is ultimately a range of facial features that can influence how someone is perceived by their physical appearance.
How can you Change your Eye Colour?
To change your eye colour, you can get coloured contact lenses or an iris implant. Coloured contacts change your eye colour when they are worn. While they may seem relatively harmless, coloured contracts not prescribed by an optometrist can lead to serious health problems. Coloured contact lenses not fitted properly can lead to painful corneal abrasion which results in sore, red eyes prone to sensitivity. A study done by the American Academy of Ophthalmology found that several varieties of coloured contacts had traces of chlorine and other harmful chemicals that could be detrimental to your eye health. An iris implant is when an artificial iris made of silicone is inserted into a slit in your cornea, so that the colored implant covers the natural iris. There are major risks of this such as vision loss, blindness or glaucoma as these implants can cause pressure to build up inside the eye. Some people have developed a cataracts, light sensitivity or an injury to the cornea. Consider the risks and unknown implications that could come with altering your eye colour before taking action.
Does Eye Colour Show Signs of Underlying Health Conditions?
Eye colour, mainly eye colour changes, can be a sign of an underlying condition. Eye problems such as Pigment dispersion syndrome is a condition that can cause the iris to release pigment, which can lead to atrophy of the iris, glaucoma and blurred vision according to the Cleveland Clinic. Fuchs heterochromic iridocyclitis can cause the iris to change colour from pigment loss due to inflammation of structures in the front of the eye. Cataracts may cause the lens of the eye to turn cloudy and yellow. While the iris is not affected, however, the appearance of a different eye colour can occur due to the cataract showing through the pupil. Ultimately, when these changes happen along with other symptoms it is important to consult an eye specialist immediately.
Can You Determine Someone's Eye Colour by Their Skin?
It is not possible to determine someone’s eye colour solely by their skin. The gene OCA2 produces a protein that helps to control the amount of melanin in the iris as well as our skin. So if you have a high concentration of melanin in the iris, you will have a high concentration of melanin in the skin. While this indicates a link between skin and eye colour, other genetic factors and certain diseases such as Fuch's heterochromic iridocyclitis, also play a role in determining eye colour.