What is Melanin?

There are many different parts of the eye, and all of them work together to provide the gift of sight. However, the way a person’s eye physically looks varies from individual to individual. For example, people are going to have different colored eyes that come in a variety of shades. Many patients ask their Miami eye doctor just why this is, and the answer is not as complex as some people might think. Melanin is responsible for the coloring of someone’s eyes, and it’s simply a pigment cell that results in coloration. It’s also what causes someone’s skin to tan the longer it’s exposed to sunlight. Eye doctors in Miami sometimes come across patients who have two different colored eyes, a condition known as heterochromia, which is simply because of a melanin issue in one eye.

What is Melanin Responsible For?

People who are wondering about why their eyes appear the way they do are going to be told a number of things by their eye doctor in Miami Beach. The color of a person’s eye is because of melanin, but the amount of melanin that naturally makes its way into a person’s eye is going to be dependent upon genetics. Melanin is also responsible for a number of other things in the human body.

● The color of a person’s hair is influenced by melanin.

● A person’s skin color is also influenced by the amount of melanin in it.

● Animals also have melanin, which helps them develop their natural colors. This is why some animals can appear “albino”.

● Eye color is determined by melanin as well; those with lighter colored eyes do not have much melanin, while those with darker eyes have more.

Is Eye Color Important?

Many patients wonder if the color of their eyes is going to determine if they need eyeglasses in Miami Beach or not, but someone’s eye color doesn’t affect their vision in any way. The only difference between people with various eye colors is that those with less melanin in their eyes, or lighter eye colors, are going to be more sensitive to light. People who have an extreme photosensitivity might be eligible for an operation that will permanently change the color of their eyes to a darker shade, thus allowing them to see in the daylight more easily. Overall, though, the color of a person’s eyes is just another factor determined by melanin that makes up their physical appearance.

photo credit: Kate via photopin (license)