How To Change Your Eye Colour

Well as you may have guessed, this is not really a hack on how you can achieve the eye color that you've always desired- without the use of contacts, of course. There are, however, some fascinating facts about the different things, in our everyday lives, that influence the colour of our eyes.

Have you ever looked in the mirror and noticed that your eyes seem a little lighter on a bright, sunny day? Or perhaps you've seen someone so enraged that their eyes appeared darker than usual? While most of us assume that eye color is a fixed trait determined by genetics, the truth is far more intriguing. A variety of factors—including emotions, aging, and even diet—can influence how your eyes look. Let’s take a deep dive into seven surprising things that can change your eye color.

1. Melanin and Aging: The Evolution of Your Eyes

Imagine a baby born with striking blue eyes, only for them to gradually transform into green, hazel, or even brown over time. This change is due to melanin, the pigment responsible for eye color. Blue eyes have a low melanin content, which makes them reflect more light—an effect called the Tyndall effect, similar to the phenomenon that makes the sky appear blue.

As a child grows, their melanocytes (melanin-producing cells) may increase activity, leading to darker eye color. This process usually takes place between 3 to 18 months but can continue until around the age of 12. However, babies born with brown eyes typically maintain that color for life because their irises already contain a high amount of melanin, absorbing more light rather than reflecting it.

2. Injury: A Sudden Shift in Hue

A shocking accident or injury can do more than just cause pain—it can also change the color of your eyes. A condition called heterochromia occurs when trauma affects the melanocytes in one eye, leading to a significant shift in shade. Some people naturally have heterochromia from birth, but it can also develop due to head or eye trauma.

Dr. Ivan Schwab of the American Academy of Ophthalmology warns that sudden eye color changes could be a sign of serious conditions, such as Horner syndrome, pigmentary glaucoma, or even late-stage diabetes. If you notice any unexpected change in your eye color, it’s best to seek medical attention immediately.

3. Mood: The Eyes as a Window to Emotion

They say the eyes are the window to the soul, and science backs this up. Your emotional state can cause subtle shifts in your eye color. When you experience intense emotions like happiness, sadness, or anger, your pupils dilate or contract, which affects how light interacts with the iris.

For example, in bright light or when you're feeling excited, your pupils shrink, making your eyes appear lighter. Conversely, in dim lighting or moments of rage, your pupils expand, giving the illusion of darker eyes. This explains why someone in the heat of anger may appear to have more intense, almost blackened eyes.

4. Diet and Detox: Can Food Really Change Eye Color?

According to some alternative medicine practitioners, what you eat may influence the clarity and brightness of your eyes. Dr. Robert Morse, a natural health expert, believes that iridology—the study of the iris—can reveal a person’s overall health. He suggests that a raw food diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, may lighten or brighten eye color over time.

Some specific foods believed to enhance eye color include:

• Spinach – Keeps eyes youthful and bright
• Honey – Adds warm golden hues
• Seafood – Intensifies color
• Olive oil, onions, and nuts – May subtly alter pigmentation

Carly Frazier, founder of Live Love Fruit, followed a raw vegan diet for six years and observed her naturally dark green eyes with brown specks transforming into a lighter green-blue hue with flecks of green. While scientific backing is still limited, many people swear by the effects of nutrition on eye brightness and clarity.

5. Makeup and Clothing: The Art of Optical Illusion

If you’re looking for an easy, non-permanent way to change the appearance of your eye color, makeup and clothing can work wonders. Certain colors enhance specific pigments in the iris, making them appear lighter or more intense.

• Brown eyes – Try gold, pink, or green shades to bring out warmth.
• Blue or green eyes – Enhance intensity with turquoise, emerald, or deep blue tones.
• Hazel eyes – Emphasize brown with purple or green with burnt orange.
• Neutral colors like white, gray, and black can make any eye color pop.

Even eyeglasses can make a difference! Anti-reflective (AR) coating on lenses not only reduces glare but also subtly enhances the natural color of your eyes.

6. Laser Surgery: A Permanent Makeover

For those who dream of changing their eye color permanently, laser surgery is an option—but it comes with risks. Dr. Greg Homer has developed a low-risk laser procedure that removes melanin from the iris, transforming brown eyes into blue or gray. The procedure itself takes just 20 seconds, with final results appearing within two to four weeks.

Although early studies suggest this operation does not affect vision, it is still relatively new and requires further research to determine long-term safety. If you’re considering altering your eye color permanently, consulting an experienced ophthalmologist is essential.

7. Colored Contact Lenses: Instant Transformation

Perhaps the quickest and safest way to change your eye color is with colored contact lenses. There are two main types:

Tinted lenses – Enhance or completely change natural eye color while also correcting vision.

Decorative lenses – Designed purely for cosmetic purposes, with dramatic designs like cat eyes, white-outs, or black sclera lenses.

However, be cautious! Non-prescription contacts from unregulated sellers (such as flea markets, novelty stores, or online shops) can lead to serious infections, corneal ulcers, or even blindness. The FDA recommends only using prescription-colored lenses approved by an optometrist to ensure safety.

So, What’s Your Eye Color Story?

Whether your eyes subtly shift with your emotions, glow differently under certain lighting, or have changed over time, one thing is certain—your eye color is more dynamic than you might have thought. So, would you ever consider changing yours, or are you happy with what nature gave you? Let me know in the comments!

Thank you for reading!