Alternative Names
Differently colored eyes; Eyes - different colors
Definition of Heterochromia:
Heterochromia is the presence of different colored eyes in the same person.
Considerations:
Heterochromia is uncommon in humans, but quite common in dogs (such as Dalmatians and Australian sheep dogs), cats, and horses.
Common Causes:
Most cases of heterochromia are hereditary, caused by a disease or syndrome, or due to an injury. Sometimes one eye may change color following certain diseases or injuries.
Specific causes of eye color changes include:
- Bleeding (hemorrhage)
- Familial heterochromia
- Foreign object in the eye
- Glaucoma, or some medications used to treat it
- Injury
- Mild inflammation affecting only one eye
- Neurofibromatosis
- Waardenberg syndrome
