Optic Topic by Steven A. Queenan at Regional Eye Optical – Week of April 23, 2018
Even though our irises can range in color from dark to light brown, green, hazel, gray, and blue, there are actually only two different pigments in our eyes, brown and red. The iris, composed of connective tissue and a thin muscle that allows it to open and close in response to light, contains cells (melanocytes) that can make two different types of pigment, brown-black “eumelanin” and red “pheomelanin.”
While dark eyes have the most pigment (particularly brown-black eumelanin), light blue eyes have the least amount of pigment; however there is no blue pigment.
Blue eyes occur when the white collagen fibers in the connective tissue in the iris scatter light in a way that makes the iris look blue. Eye colors between dark brown and light blue have varying amounts of pigment and areas without any pigment, which leads to the unique colors of green, hazel, and gray.
Advances in contact lens technology have created great options for cosmetic and prosthetic lenses. Custom contact lenses can be created to camouflage any color variation or irregularity and produce a natural eye color. Cosmetic lenses are also available to transform your eye color.
To learn more, please call 320-587-6309. We are located just inside Regional Eye Center at 1455 Montreal Street, SE in Hutchinson, MN. Our business hours are:
Mon. & Thurs. 8:00am – 7:30pm
Tues. & Wed. 8:00am – 5:30pm
Fri. 8:00am – 4:00pm
Sat. 8:30am to Noon (Sep-May)
