Causes and treatment of heterochromia of the eyes

General information

Since ancient times, people with heterochromia were considered messengers from the other world. It was believed that they were to blame for all accidents, fires, epidemics. And mothers who gave birth to such children were credited with secret connections with dark forces.

The medical rationale for heterochromia is absolutely not related to ancient beliefs.

Causes of heterochromia

An important role in the appearance of heterochromia is played by hereditary factors. If there was a similar pathology in the family, then there is a high probability of the birth of a child with eyes of different colors. But heterochromia is not always a congenital anomaly. Sometimes this happens in the case of:

• injury by a foreign object. As a result of metal shavings getting in and not removing them in a timely manner. The iris becomes brown or green. Such an acquired disease has received the official name metallosis in medicine;
• uevitis in Fuchs syndrome. The development of the disease begins due to the inflammatory process in the vascular membrane of the visual organ. Gradually, the patient's visual acuity decreases, and blurred vision occurs. Ignoring the symptoms and untimely referral to an ophthalmologist leads not only to a change in the color of the iris, but also to blindness. Often, only one organ suffers, but bilateral damage is also possible.

The formation of eye color occurs in the first two years of a baby's life. If parents notice that one iris is different from the other, they should see a doctor.

Types of heterochromia of the eyes

Depending on the degree of coloring of the iris, there are:

• complete. The color of one eye is completely different from the other;
• partial. The iris is colored in fragments. Sometimes it appears as small spots;
• central. The color change is present only near the pupil.

How does heterochromia affect overall well-being?

The manifestation of heterochromia in childhood does not always indicate a genetic predisposition. Multi-colored eyes can signal the development of serious diseases:

• Waardenburg syndrome. Late diagnosis of such an ailment leads to deafness and gray strands;
• neurofibromatosis. The disease begins with pigmentation on the skin, followed by the appearance of tumor-like neoplasms in this place. In addition to an unattractive appearance, the disease threatens the development of bone anomalies.

To prevent dangerous pathologies, it is necessary to undergo an annual examination by an ophthalmologist.

Psychologists say that people with this feature are distinguished by a hot-tempered and unpredictable character. They do not like noisy companies and prefer solitude.

How to get rid of heterochromia?

If heterochromia is not a symptom of a dangerous disease, then additional medical or surgical treatment is not required.

With congenital heterochromia, it is possible to change the color of the eyes with the help of correction with colored or tinted contact lenses. The choice of them is so large that it will be possible to make both eyes identical.