Are Purple Eyes Real or a Myth? A Doctor's Guide to Eye Color Science

Purple eyes fascinate many people who wonder if they're real or just digital manipulation and colored contacts. Most of us have seen striking images online that make us question this rare eye color. Of course, medical professionals remain skeptical about most purple eye claims. Research indicates that natural purple eyes exist in less than 1% of the global population, making them the world's rarest eye color.

The extreme scarcity of natural purple eyes makes people assume these instances come from contacts or digital alterations. U.S. statistics show only 1 in 20,000 people have albinism, and not all people with albinism's eyes appear violet-colored. This piece explains the science behind eye color and gets into whether natural purple eyes truly exist. You'll learn about medical conditions that might cause this unusual coloration and artificial options to achieve this striking look yourself.

What Determines Eye Color?

The secret of eye color exists deep within your iris - the colorful, circular part around your pupil. Learning how eye colors develop helps us understand if purple eyes can occur naturally.

Melanin and the iris structure

Your iris has two key layers that create eye color together. The back layer (epithelium) has black-brown pigments, and the front layer (stroma) lacks color but can contain different amounts of melanin. This pigment gives color to your skin and hair too.

Your eye color depends on the type and amount of melanin in your iris. Two types play a role here: eumelanin (a dark brown pigment) creates brown and black eyes, while pheomelanin (a red-yellow pigment) helps create lighter colors. People with brown eyes have lots of melanin in both iris layers. Those with lighter eyes have little or no melanin in their stroma.

How light scattering affects color

The sort of thing I love about eye color is that many colors don't come from actual pigments. Blue eyes have no blue pigment - they look blue because of the same effect that makes the sky blue. This happens through Tyndall/Rayleigh scattering, where light hits a melanin-free stroma and bounces back as blue.

Green eyes work in a similar way but have tiny amounts of melanin that change how light scatters. Hazel eyes have some melanin with light scattering effects. Gray eyes have collagen deposits in the iris that scatter light waves more evenly.

Very rare colors like purple or violet usually come from almost no melanin plus light scattering, which sometimes shows the color of blood vessels underneath. This explains why people with albinism might have violet-looking eyes.

The role of genetics and chromosomes

Your eye color doesn't come from just one gene. Multiple genes work together to create it. Scientists have found up to 16 different genes that can affect eye color. Some genes are vital to this process:

• OCA2 gene on chromosome 15 makes the P-protein, which is vital for melanin production and storage
• HERC2 gene controls OCA2, switching it on or off when needed
• Other genes like ASIP, IRF4, SLC24A4, TYR, and TYRP1 help create various eye colors

This genetic complexity means eye color inheritance isn't simple. Two blue-eyed parents can sometimes have a brown-eyed child, which shows how eye color isn't easy to predict.

Natural purple eyes would need specific gene combinations that affect melanin production and iris structure. This complexity explains why natural purple eyes, if they exist, would be among the world's rarest eye colors.

Can People Have Purple Eyes Naturally?

People often wonder about unusual eye colors and if purple eyes exist naturally. Many online claims and viral images say they do, but let's look at what science and experts tell us.

Are natural purple eyes real?

Natural purple eyes fall somewhere between scientific possibility and rare occurrence. Eye doctors say purple or violet eyes can exist naturally, but they're extremely rare. The color depends on specific melanin levels in the iris. Medical experts point out that real violet-colored eyes usually show up in people with albinism.

Dr. Norman Saffra from Maimonides Medical Center's ophthalmology department backs this up. "There are various shades of blues and grays, with many in-between. Violet may have been her typical pigmentation. It's possible to have that eye color; it all depends on the amount of melanin".

The eyes might not always be truly purple. Sometimes what looks purple is actually a rare shade of blue that creates a violet appearance when light hits it.

How rare are purple eyes?

Purple eyes are among the world's rarest eye colors. Studies show less than 1% of people worldwide have natural purple eyes. These eyes stay rare even among people with albinism (about 1 in 20,000 in the U.S.), who usually have blue, hazel, green, or brown eyes instead.

The extreme rarity makes many people doubt they exist. The Optical Academy confirms that "true violet-colored eyes are exceedingly rare and usually a result of albinism". This explains why people often think purple-eyed individuals wear colored contacts or edit their photos.

Why Elizabeth Taylor's eyes appeared violet

Elizabeth Taylor's famous "violet" eyes make an interesting case study in rare eye colors. Her unique eyes helped create her mystique as a Hollywood icon.

The truth is different from what most people believe. Taylor said her eyes were dark blue, not violet, and called the violet description "some romantic journalist's idea". Yet people who met her couldn't help being mesmerized by her eye color.

Her eyes appeared violet because of several things:

1. A specific amount of melanin in her iris stroma
2. Her makeup choices, especially blue and purple eyeshadows
3. The clothes she wore that made her eyes stand out
4. The way different lighting affected how people saw her eye color

Taylor never used colored contacts - they weren't even available until 1983. Her eye color was natural, though it could look different depending on various factors. Classic Hollywood Central noted that she "probably had very deep blue eyes that could look like violet in the right light".

This shows that while real purple eyes are incredibly rare, violet-looking eyes can happen through a mix of genetics, lighting, and even fashion choices that bring out certain shades of blue eyes.

Medical Conditions That May Cause Purple Eyes

Medical conditions can actually cause purple-appearing eyes, beyond just myths and legends. These rare disorders affect how pigments work in the eye or change its structure, which creates unusual colors that look violet or purple in certain conditions.

Ocular and oculocutaneous albinism

Albinism is one of the main causes of purple-appearing eyes. This genetic disorder affects how your body makes melanin - the pigment that colors your eyes, skin, and hair. There are two main types:

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) changes the color of eyes, skin, and hair. People who have this condition often have very light blue or pale gray irises that can look violet in certain light. This happens because their iris is thin enough to let light shine through during eye exams, which shows blood vessels underneath.

Ocular albinism (OA) only affects eye color and doesn't change skin or hair much. While it's less common than OCA, it can make irises look light blue, pale gray, or violet. Many people don't know they have OA until they get a complete eye exam.

These genetic conditions are rare - about 1 in 20,000 people in the U.S. has some type of albinism.

Uveitis and eye inflammation

Eye inflammation can change eye color temporarily or forever, sometimes creating a purple tint. A good example is uveitis - inflammation in the eye's middle layer of tissue called the uvea.

Fuchs uveitis syndrome can change eye color when inflammation occurs. The iris might get lighter or darker and sometimes takes on a bluish-purple look. This usually affects one eye, though about 15% of people see changes in both eyes.

White blood cells and inflammatory proteins enter the eye during inflammation, which affects the iris and changes how it looks. People with this condition often have eye pain, redness, and blurry vision.

Other rare disorders like Waardenburg syndrome

Waardenburg syndrome is another genetic condition that creates striking eye colors, including purple or violet shades. This rare disorder affects about 1 in 40,000 people.

The syndrome changes pigmentation because of mutations in specific genes (EDN3, EDNRB, MITF, PAX3, SNAI2, or SOX10) that control melanocyte development - cells that make melanin. These genetic changes disrupt how melanocytes work normally, which leads to unusual eye colors.

People with Waardenburg syndrome might have:

• Pale, brilliant blue eyes that look violet in certain light
• Heterochromia (eyes of two different colors)
• Segmental heterochromia (parts of the iris have different colors)

Purple-appearing eyes from these medical conditions are usually present when a person is born. These conditions also cause other symptoms besides unique eye colors, which makes them different from cosmetic changes. Understanding these medical causes helps explain this rare natural phenomenon.

Debunking the Myth of Alexandria’s Genesis

People searching for rare eye colors online will find stories about individuals with striking purple eyes linked to "Alexandria's Genesis." Let's look at what's true and what's not about this supposed syndrome and purple eyes.

What is Alexandria's Genesis?

The story claims Alexandria's Genesis causes natural purple eyes from birth or they develop during childhood. This mythical condition describes people with pale skin that won't tan or burn, hair only on their head, perfect vision, and unusual longevity. They supposedly resist most diseases too. The tale suggests women with this "condition" stay fertile without menstruating.

The story traces back to Alexandria, Egypt, in 1329 CE. A strange light reportedly flashed in the sky and turned people's eyes purple. The trait then spread to northern Europe's population over centuries.

Why it's not a real condition

Medical literature has no record of Alexandria's Genesis, despite what you might read online. No respected medical journal, research facility, or eye care organization has documented this condition. The supposed combination of traits defies human biology and genetics.

A single mutation cannot affect multiple unrelated biological systems at once. Changes to melanin production, hair growth, reproductive systems, and immune responses would need different genetic alterations. Medical experts agree this is pure fiction.

The claims about no body hair but normal head hair, disease immunity, and fertile women without menstruation go against everything we know about human biology.

How internet myths spread misinformation

The story started as creative fiction in 2005. Someone wrote about a character with purple eyes, and the tale took off. It spread through message boards and social media, picked up steam on questionable websites.

This shows how false information becomes "fact" in the digital world. Each time someone shares the story, it changes. People add details and present fiction as truth. Stories gain credibility through repetition instead of evidence.

The spread of this myth highlights why we need to check online health claims carefully. Purple eyes capture imagination, but Alexandria's Genesis remains fiction. Yet people still believe it despite clear evidence that proves otherwise. It shows how made-up stories can seem real when they feature unusual physical traits.

Artificial Ways to Get Purple Eyes

Purple eyes fascinate many people, and colored contact lenses provide a safe way to get this rare look. These specialized lenses have become accessible to more people who want to make fashion statements or create specific costume looks.

Using colored contact lenses safely

The FDA regulates all contact lenses as medical devices, including cosmetic ones. Non-prescription colored lenses can damage your eyes severely. You might face corneal abrasions, infections, and even blindness. Your safety depends on getting a prescription from an eye care professional before buying any colored contacts. Good hygiene plays a vital role too. Clean your hands before touching lenses, use proper solution (never water or saliva), and keep replacing both lenses and cases.

Types of purple colored contacts

Purple contacts come in styles that match different priorities:

• Enhancement tints: These have translucent coloring that improves your natural eye color. They work best with light-colored eyes
• Opaque tints: These completely change your eye color. They work great for dark eyes or dramatic changes
• Duration options: You can pick from daily disposables, 30-day lenses, or 90-day options based on how often you'll wear them

The options range from subtle lavender to deep violet, letting you customize your look. FDA-approved options give you better comfort and safety.

Cosplay contacts and fashion trends

The cosplay community loves purple contacts because fans can accurately portray characters with violet eyes. People also use them for Halloween costumes, photoshoots, and fashion statements. Purple contacts create a unique look that stands out more than common colors like blue or green. Many makeup lovers match these lenses with complementary eyeshadows to create stunning looks.

Prescription and eye health considerations

People who need vision correction can get purple contacts with prescription strengths. This helps you avoid choosing between good vision and style. Remember to follow the recommended wearing schedule - usually 8-12 hours max - and never sleep while wearing contacts. Your eye health should be your top priority. Buy only from trusted sellers who ask for valid prescriptions.

Conclusion

Purple eyes rank among Earth's rarest natural eye colors, and there's fascinating science behind this. Scientists found that there was a possibility of natural purple eyes, though they're incredibly rare. These unusual eyes typically result from specific genetic conditions rather than standard pigmentation. The way melanin levels work with light scattering and genetics determines if someone might have this unique trait.

The sort of thing i love about purple eyes is that you need to look at claims with healthy skepticism. Elizabeth Taylor's famous "violet" eyes used to fascinate audiences for decades. She later admitted they were deep blue eyes that looked violet in certain light. Medical conditions like albinism, uveitis, or Waardenburg syndrome can make eyes appear purple because of their effects on melanin production or the iris's structure.

False information about purple eyes spreads quickly, and without doubt, Alexandria's Genesis stands out as the perfect example of fiction masquerading as medical fact. This internet myth shows how made-up stories about unusual physical traits can spread like wildfire.

Natural purple eyes are nowhere near common, but anyone interested can safely try this look through prescription-approved colored contact lenses. These artificial options let people experience purple eyes' mystique while keeping their eyes healthy.

The human eye's complexity and wonder exceed most people's understanding. This becomes clear after scrutinizing this rare eye color phenomenon. Knowledge about the biological foundations of these traits helps separate facts from myths, especially since striking physical features often become wrapped in stories.