What eye color will your baby have?

The child's appearance and development are reflected by the genetics inherited from their parents. When it comes to a baby's eye color, this is influenced by the genetic makeup the child inherits from their parents.

When do you know what eye color the child will have?

Many newborn babies have blue-gray eyes at first, which then gradually change shade over time. The time when the baby's eye color is fully established varies from individual to individual, but it is common to see the final color when the child is between six months to one year old.

Dominant and recessive genes

When it comes to human DNA, there are dominant and recessive genes. This means that some traits and characteristics are more likely to be passed on to one's children. Which genes a child inherits from their parents is entirely random, however, what is entirely random is the eye color a baby will have. The gene that makes the eyes brown is dominant, while the gene that makes the eyes blue is recessive.

Thus, a baby's eye color depends on genetic traits passed on from the child's parents. Eye color is determined by the amount of melanin in the iris, or the colored part that surrounds and forms the pupil. The melanin that influences eye color is divided into two main types: eumelanin, which is dark brown or black, and pheomelanin, which is yellow or red. Since the amount of melanin in the iris continues to develop even after birth, it means that the eye color of a newborn baby is not entirely fixed.

Generally, eye color is inherited according to complex genetic patterns.

Green eyes

Green eyes arise through a combination of light reflection and a certain amount of eumelanin (brown or black) in the iris. The amount of melanin can vary and affects the shades of green. If the parents have different eye colors, such as one parent with blue eyes and one with brown eyes, the child may have a different color, such as green or hazel.

Blue eyes

Blue eyes arise from a low amount of melanin in the iris. The blue color is due to light scattering and reflection in the thin iris tissue. If both parents have blue eyes, it is likely that the child will also have blue eyes.

Brown eyes

Brown eyes contain more melanin, especially eumelanin. The high level of melanin absorbs light and gives the eyes a brown color. If both parents have brown eye color, the chances are high that the child will also have brown eyes.

Grey eyes

Gray eyes can be a mixture of different shades of blue, green, and brown. The variation in eye color arises from different amounts and distribution of melanin in the iris. Gray eye color is quite rare and is considered a variation of blue eye color. Eye color is determined by the amount and distribution of melanin in the iris. Gray eyes occur when there is a mixture of darker eumelanin (brown or black) and lighter pheomelanin (yellow or red) in the iris.

It is possible for gray eyes to occur when a person has parents with different eye colors, especially if one parent has blue eyes and the other has an eye color with more melanin blending.

Mottled or multicolored eyes.

When the iris contains different amounts of melanin in different areas, one can have mottled or multicolored eyes. Genetics, mutations, and irregular melanin production are examples of factors that can affect the occurrence of multicolored eyes.

Multicolored eyes can have different combinations of colors, such as blue-brown, green-brown, or gray-blue. The exact mechanism behind these color combinations is complex and influenced by several genes. It is also important to note that eye color is often most prominent and stable in adulthood, although it can be difficult to predict exactly how a child's eyes will develop based on the parents' eye colors.

However, it's important to remember that the inheritance of eye color is complex and there are several genes involved. Even if the parents have a certain eye color, it's possible for the child to inherit a different color based on genetic combinations.