What Is the Rarest Eye Color in the World?

There are some natural eye colors that stand out from the crowd! These rare eyes make you sit up and take notice.

When you’re out and about, you’ll see plenty of brown or blue eyes. But there are other colors that are much more uncommon.

You may be wondering, what’s the rarest eye color? That’s what we’re here to find out!

What Factors Determine Eye Color?

Before we get into the rarest colors, let’s talk a bit about the factors that determine eye color. 

Melanin

Eye color is primarily determined by the amount of melanin in your eyes, with higher levels producing darker eyes and lower levels producing lighter ones.

Fun fact: You could technically say all eyes are brown. The iris is made up of two layers: the back layer (pigment epithelium) and the front layer (stroma). Almost everybody has brown melanin in the back layer. It’s the amount of melanin in the front layer that determines how we perceive eye color, such as blue, green, or hazel.

Those with brown eyes have a high concentration of brown pigment in the front layer. However, those with light-colored eyes typically don’t have much brown pigment in the front layer. Because of that, light scatters and reflects back as blue or green, similar to how the sky appears blue. This is an effect called Rayleigh scattering.

Genetics 

If you’ve ever been told you have your mother’s or father’s eyes, there’s a reason for this! The amount of melanin in your eyes is controlled by roughly 16 different genes, including major genes on chromosome 15.

Genes inherited from your parents impact the amount of melanin in your eyes and how the melanin is distributed.

Eye Conditions

Some eye conditions can affect their color. Let’s go through them.

Albinism 

Albinism is a rare condition. In the U.S., about one in 18,000 to 20,000 people has albinism. People with albinism have very little melanin. This results in them having light-colored eyes.

Heterochromia

Heterochromia is a rare eye condition in which a person’s irises are different colors (such as having one blue eye and one green eye). It’s typically a genetic trait. However, it can also sometimes be caused by injury, eye disease, or underlying medical conditions.

The Rarest Eye Colors

Without further ado, here are the rarest eye colors in the world! As a bonus, I’ve included some celebrities who have these eye colors.

Red and Purple Eyes

Violet and red are by far the rarest eye colors in the world. Less than 1% of people have these eye colors.

Red or violet eyes are typically found in people with albinism, since they have so little melanin, the blood vessels in their eyes become visible. Then, when light reflects off the blood vessels, the eyes look pale purple or red.

But it’s worth noting that not everybody with albinism has red or purple eyes; most have blue, hazel, or even brown eyes.

One Redditor with albinism went viral after sharing photos of his purple eyes. Other Redditors were fascinated, leading to an extensive thread filled with questions about his eye color.

While natural red or purple eyes are extremely rare, you can use colored contact lenses to achieve them. I’ll discuss colored contacts more later in the article.

Celebrities With Red and Purple Eyes

There aren’t any modern celebrities with red or purple eyes. However, Elizabeth Taylor was famously said to have ‘violet eyes.’

Later research has shown that her eyes were really a deep blue instead. But she knew how to enhance them with strategic makeup and lighting. She also had a rare condition called distichiasis, which caused an extra row of eyelashes to grow along her upper and lower lash lines. This drew even more attention to her famous eyes.

Green Eyes

Green eyes are the second rarest eye color. According to a 2020 study called “Molecular and biochemical mechanisms of human iris color: A comprehensive review,” published in the Journal of Cellular Physiology, only about 2% of people around the world have this eye color. Green eyes are so rare because they result from a specific low-melanin genetic combination. 

This stunning eye color features less melanin than brown eyes but more melanin than blue eyes. Along with this, they have a small amount of the yellow lipochrome pigment, which gives them their unique shade.

Celebrities With Green Eyes

• Emma Stone: The award-winning actress has big, icy green eyes.
• Elizabeth Olsen: The Marvel superhero has a light shade of green eyes.

Gray Eyes

Gray eyes are another very rare eye color. It’s hard to know the exact percentage of gray-eyed people, since they’re often lumped in with blue-eyed people. But according to a WorldAtlas study, around 1% to 3% of the world’s population has this eye color.

There are a few differences that set gray eyes apart from blue eyes. One key difference is that gray eyes typically have less melanin than blue eyes. They also have higher collagen concentrations in the stroma (the anterior layer of the iris). This combination gives them their smoky look.

Celebrities With Gray Eyes

• Olivia Wilde: The House actress and director is famous for her distinct, icy gray eyes.
• Ian Somerhalder: The Vampire Diaries and Lost actor has piercing blue-gray eyes.

Hazel Eyes

Hazel eyes are the next rarest eye color. According to the study in the Journal of Cellular Physiology, about 5% of people worldwide have this eye color.

Hazel eyes are special because they feature different flecks of color. They typically have the same amount of melanin as brown eyes, but the melanin is mostly located near the edge of the iris. This leads to the hazel eyes’ unique color mix.

Celebrities With Hazel Eyes

• Rihanna: The megastar has enviable hazel eyes. They’re brown with flecks of green and fade into gray at the edges.
• Kelly Clarkson: The singer and talk show host celebrated her hazel eyes in the hit song “Behind These Hazel Eyes.” Her eyes are mostly brown with flecks of green.
• Lee Pace: The actor has striking hazel eyes that feature flecks of gray, green, and brown.

Amber Eyes 

About 5% of the world’s population has amber eyes. Amber eyes have a unique coppery look that comes from having a higher concentration of pheomelanin (a reddish-yellow pigment) than eumelanin (a dark brown pigment).

These eyes are sometimes mistaken for hazel eyes, but they typically have a more consistent, solid color.

Celebrities With Amber Eyes

• Nicole Richie: The reality star has stunning amber eyes. They pop against her olive skin tone and blonde hair.
• Justin Bieber: The famous singer is well-known for his amber eyes. His legion of fans loves his eye color!

The Most Common Eye Colors

Now that we’ve discussed the rarest eye colors, let’s go through the most common eye colors.

Blue Eyes

Blue eyes are more common than you might think. About eight to 10% of people around the world have this eye color.

In the U.S., around 27% of people have blue eyes. Blue eyes are also common in Europe, and particularly in the U.K., Ireland, and Scandinavia.

As with other light eye colors, people with blue eyes are more sensitive to light due to their low melanin levels. Be sure to wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection to keep your eyes safe while you’re outside.

Fun fact: Everyone with blue eyes is technically related! People with blue eyes share a common ancestor who lived 6,000 to 10,000 years ago and possessed a genetic mutation.

Celebrities With Blue Eyes

There are quite a few celebrities with blue eyes. This includes:

• Cillian Murphy: The award-winning actor is known for his ‘steely’ blue eyes.
• Taylor Swift: The famous singer is known for her blonde hair and blue eyes.
• Chris Hemsworth: The Marvel actor is known for his light and ‘intense’ blue eyes.

Brown Eyes

Brown eyes are the most common eye color by a large margin. According to “Molecular and biochemical mechanisms of human iris color: A comprehensive review,” approximately 79% of people worldwide have brown eyes.

Brown eyes are so prevalent because they are the genetically dominant trait. They also provide superior protection against harsh sunlight due to their high levels of melanin.

Even though brown eyes have higher melanin levels, it’s still a good idea to wear sunglasses with 100% UV protection when you’re outside. They’ll help protect your eyes and prevent long-term damage.

Celebrities With Brown Eyes

Since brown eyes are the most common eye color, there are naturally countless celebrities with brown eyes. A few A-listers include:

• Anne Hathaway: The actress has big, deep, dark brown eyes that stand out on screen.
• Robert Downey Jr.: The Marvel actor is known for his expressive dark brown eyes.
• Bruno Mars: The singer is famous for his warm brown eyes.
• Jessica Alba: The actress has a honey-colored shade of brown eyes.

Trying Out Rare Eye Colors With Colored Contacts

Want to try out one of the rarest eye colors in the world? Colored contacts are the way to go! Just remember that you’ll need a prescription from an eye doctor to buy colored contacts in the U.S. This is the case even if you don’t need vision correction.

On EZContacts, there are a few different colored contacts available from major manufacturer Alcon. This includes AIR OPTIX COLORS, which are monthly lenses with 12 shades available. They have many rare eye colors, such as Green, Amethyst, Hazel, Honey, Turquoise, and Gray.

If you’re unsure whether the contacts will work for you, Alcon has a virtual try-on available.

EZContacts customer Naomi A. tried out the green shade, and she loved how it looked on her eyes:

If you’re looking for a daily lens, try Alcon’s Dailies Colors brand. This brand has four color options available: Blue, Gray, Green, and Hazel.

Charlotte C. shared that she always gets compliments when she wears the hazel shade:

“I love my color contacts. They look so natural. I receive compliments from people thinking my hazel eyes is what I was born with. I just smile and thank them.”

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TL;DR

• Eye color is determined by genetics and melanin levels in the iris. Someone with more melanin will have darker eyes. Someone with less melanin will have lighter eyes due to Rayleigh scattering.
• The rarest eye colors in the world are red and violet eyes. They’re typically linked to albinism.
• The next rarest eye color is green. These eyes feature a unique mix of low melanin and a small amount of the yellow lipochrome pigment.
• Gray eyes are also rare; they get their color from high concentrations of collagen in the stroma.
• Two other rare eye colors are hazel and amber eyes. Hazel eyes feature flecks of color, including brown, green, blue, and gray. Amber eyes have a golden, coppery tone from pheomelanin.
• The most common eye colors are blue and brown. Blue eyes are particularly prevalent in Europe. Brown eyes are by far the most common color; one study says around 79% of people in the world have this eye color.
• If you want to try out a rare eye color, use colored contacts. AIR OPTIX COLORS and Dailies Colors are both good options. Just remember that you’ll need a prescription for colored contacts.