Heterochromia, a disorder that makes the eyes different colors

Heterochromia is the difference in the color of the two irises of the human eye. It is very rare for a person to have two different colored eyes. In America alone, this condition only occurs in 11 out of every 1,000 people. This usually occurs due to several factors, and can actually develop over time. Check out the explanation below.

What is heterochromia?

As mentioned above, heterochromia is a condition when a person has two different colors on their iris. The iris is the part of the eye that determines the color of the eye.

The color of the iris of the human eye varies. There are light brown, blue, green, and black colors. This color depends on the amount of melanin (a substance produced by melanocyte cells) in the pigment epithelium located at the back of the iris, the amount of melanin in the stroma (iris layer), and the density of cells in the stroma.

Heterochromia is also defined as a common feature of hereditary genetic disorders. Heterochromia eye disorders are divided into two types, namely:

1. Complete heterochromia

This type of heterochromia is a condition when the color of one eye is a different color from the other eye. That is, the difference in pigment is complete in one eye compared to the other eye.

2. Partial heterochromia

This type of heterochromia is a type of difference in eye color that is located in one eye. So, someone who has partial heterochromia, has a variety of colors in one eye.

This type is then divided into central and sectoral:

• Central heterochromia refers to the difference in color located in the middle of the eye
• Sectoral heterochromia refers to the difference in eye color in one local segment.

What causes heterochromia eye disorder?

There are many things that can cause heterochromia. A baby can be born with the condition, or experience it shortly after birth. In this case, the condition is called congenital heterochromia.

In most cases, children born with heterochromia do not experience any symptoms. They usually have no other eye problems or experience general health problems. However, in some cases, heterochromia can be a symptom of a certain condition.

Quoted from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, some of the conditions that cause heterochromia in babies are:

• Horner's Syndrome, which is a condition that can cause the pupil of the affected eye to appear lighter in color than the other eye.
• Sturge-Weber Syndrome, a condition that affects the development of certain blood vessels, causing abnormalities in the brain, skin, and eyes from birth.
• Waardenburg Syndrome, which is a genetic condition that can cause hearing loss and discoloration of hair, skin, and eyes.
• Piebaldism, which is a condition when melanocytes do not appear in several areas of the body.
• Bloch-Sulzberger Syndrome, which is a rare condition that affects the tissues in the skin, eyes, teeth, and central nervous system.
• Von Recklinghausen disease, which is a genetic disorder characterized by the development of several tumors on the nerves and skin.
• Bourneville disease, that is, a disease characterized by the development of several benign embryonic ectoderm tumors (eg skin, eyes and nervous system).
• Parry-Romberg Syndrome, is a rare disorder characterized by slow breakdown of the skin and soft tissues of the half face.

If your eye color changes to a different color (not due to birth), talk to your eye doctor. The reason is, several health conditions can cause heterochromia in adults, such as:

1. Eye trauma

This eye condition is caused by an eye injury that can be caused by a blow, sport or activity that injures your eye.

2. Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disorder in the eye that causes a buildup of fluid in the eye and ultimately causes the color of the iris to be different. This can essentially cause vision loss. However, early detection and proper treatment can cure this condition.

3. Certain drugs

Some medications, including some glaucoma medications that lower the pressure in your eye, can cause eye discoloration.

4. Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the nerve cells that usually affects children under the age of 10. When the tumor presses on a nerve in the chest or neck, sometimes children have drooping eyelids and small pupils, causing heterochromia.

5. Eye cancer

Melanoma, or a type of cancer in the melanocytes, can cause your eye color to be different. However, this condition is rare. One of the signs of melanoma or eye cancer is a dark spot on the iris.

How is this condition diagnosed?

If your baby has this condition, get it checked out by an eye doctor. In most cases, there is no disease or condition that causes the eye color to differ from one another. However, you still have to be aware of it.

Likewise if you notice a difference in eye color as an adult. The ophthalmologist will perform a detailed eye examination to rule out the cause and create a treatment plan, if necessary.

Is there a way to cure heterochromia eye?

Until now, there is no specific medical method that can cure this eye disorder. Treatment can be done depending on the cause and condition of the factors that underlie the discoloration of your eyes.

In certain situations, colored contact lenses can be used to adjust the color of eyes that appear lighter or lighten eyes that appear darker. Two different colored contact lenses can also be used to match the color of the iris.