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Heterochromia - Overview

Alternative Names

Differently colored eyes; Eyes - different colors

Definition of Heterochromia:

Heterochromia is the presence of different colored eyes in the same person.

Considerations:

Heterochromia is uncommon in humans, but quite common in dogs (such as Dalmatians and Australian sheep dogs), cats, and horses.

Common Causes:

Most cases of heterochromia are hereditary, caused by a disease or syndrome, or due to an injury. Sometimes one eye may change color following certain diseases or injuries.

Specific causes of eye color changes include:

  • Bleeding (hemorrhage)
  • Familial heterochromia
  • Foreign object in the eye
  • Glaucoma, or some medications used to treat it
  • Injury
  • Mild inflammation affecting only one eye
  • Neurofibromatosis
  • Waardenberg syndrome
  • Reviewed last on: 11/2/2009
  • Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Olitsky SE, Hug D, Smith LP. Abnormalities of pupil and iris. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 621.

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