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As would-be-parents, we often wonder what kind of features our baby will have, his complexion, his hair and we even think about the colour of his eyes. If you or your partner, or both have light coloured eyes, you may wonder what would be the colour of your baby’s eyes. Here we shall discuss all the colour of the baby’s eyes and when it changes and more.
How Does Eye Colour Develop in Newborns?
The phenomenon behind how the eye colour develops in newborns in very fascinating. Science has explained to us that the babies are a combination of both their parents; however, this amalgamation of the genes takes place in more than one ways. Therefore, the colour of your baby’s eyes may depend on the genetic reasons, and the melanin may also play an active part in determining the eye colour of your baby.
When Do Baby’s Eyes Change Colour?
The most significant changes in your baby’s eye colour may be noticed between 6 to 9 months of age. This is because the there has been enough pigment stashing by the iris around this age and thus you may guess what could be the final hue of your baby’s eyes. Though do not get surprised if your baby’s eye colour keeps changing by the time he is three years old. However, the darker shades of eyes remain dark and do not change. In around 10 percent cases, the colour of the eyes may keep changing in adulthood as well.
What Determines Infant Eye Colour?
The following determines or affects the colour of your baby’s eyes:
1. Melanin
Melanin plays an important role in determining the colour of your baby’s eyes too.
- Low production of melanin increases the chances of newborn eye colour grey, green, hazel, or blue.
- If there is more production of melanin, your baby is more likely to have a darker shade of eyes.
2. Genetics
- A baby, whose both parents have blue eyes, may have blue eyes too.
- A baby, whose both parents have brown eyes, may have brown eyes too.
- A baby, whose one parent has blue eyes and the other has green, may have either blue or green eyes.
- A baby, whose grandparent has blue eyes, may have blue eyes too.
- A baby who has different shades in both the eyes may be suffering from Warrensburg Syndrome.
The above mentioned are some possibilities that you may see in your newborn baby but is not necessary that this will only happen and your baby may have different coloured eyes too.
What Colour Eyes will Your Baby Have?
Parents are often very curious to know about their unborn babies, and the colour of the eyes may be one of them. You may wonder what colour my baby’s eyes would be. It is often seen that babies whose parents have a darker shade of eyes may have dark eyes too. Similarly, if both the parents have blue or green eyes, the baby may have blue or green eyes. In case one of the parents has lighter eyes and the other has a darker shade of eyes, the baby may have either coloured eyes. What will be the final colour of your baby’s eyes or your baby permanent eye colour may become clearer by the time your baby is approximately nine months of age.
In a very rare genetic disorder, you may notice your baby having different coloured eyes. However, if you notice any change in your baby’s eye colour, you may get in touch with your doctor to know more about the same.
What if Your Baby Have Two Different Coloured Eyes?
Sometimes baby’s may have two different coloured eyes. This may happen in following conditions:
- Warrensburg Syndrome: This is a genetic abnormality that may affect the colour of baby’s skin, hair and even eyes. The babies who are born with this genetic mutation may have two different coloured eyes. In some cases, the babies who are born with this defect may even have hearing loss.
- Heterochromia Iridium and Heterochromia Iridis: This defect may cause two different coloured eyes or multi-coloured eyes in babies. This condition may be caused due to gene mutation or excessive pigmentation in the irises. Such defects may also result due to certain medication or trauma that the baby may experience at the time of the birth.
The treatment for both the above-mentioned conditions may vary as per the symptoms. In case your baby is diagnosed with Heterochromia then there is no need to worry as this condition is neither harmful to your baby nor it requires any treatment. However, if there is inflammation or swelling along with this condition, then it becomes necessary to reduce the inflammation and treat Heterochromia after that.
In case, where the child has a vision impairment, or the child is unable to see from one eye, tinted contact lenses may be advised by an eye specialist. The contact lenses thus prescribed may help in lighten the complexion of a dark-eye or darken the complexion of a lighter eye. If difficulty is experienced in wearing a single contact lens, lenses may get prescribed for both the eyes.
However, if you decide not to treat this condition in your child, you may do so. There are many people living a healthy life with this eye condition. But if you or your child feels the need to use tinted lenses, you may do so.
Though there may be a considerable change in newborn eye colour before, and after, you can always talk to a paediatrician to clear your doubts. It is also recommended to have regular eye-checkups for your baby, to rule out any complications that may arise.
