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Heterochromia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Cuando el color llama la atención
Heterochromia, possibly a genetic mosaic

Heterochromia means "different colours", and is most used for the description of different coloured eyes. Some people, and animals, have differences between the irises of their eyes. There are many different causes for this condition.

Genetic causes for heterochromia include genetic mosaicism, where changes may take place in the dividing cells leading up to iris formation in the embryo. Or, environmental damage may occur to the eyes. Or, various diseases and medical conditions may result in changes in eye colour.

Similar events may happen in other tissues, and sometimes result in visible tissue differences. However, the condition is most easily seen in the iris of the eye. The terms Hetrochromia iridis (= different colour of the iris), Heterochromia iridum (plural form) and Heterochromia iridium (a mistake in Latin grammar) are variously used when it is the eye colour which is specifically mentioned.

Images for kids

  • Heterochromia plos

    Individual with Waardenburg Syndrome Type II exhibiting complete heterochromia iridum

  • Sled dog on Svalbard with heterochromia

    An Alaskan husky sled dog with heterochromia. Huskies are a breed known to have a high incidence of heterochromia.

  • Sectoral heterochromia in left eye

    Sectoral heterochromia

  • Pronounced Central Heterochromia - Human Eye

    Human eye with pronounced central heterochromia

  • Sectoral Heterochromia5600

    A young adult human exhibiting sectoral heterochromia in the form of an orange-brown segment in blue eye.

  • Heterochromia Blue Orange

    Human eye with central heterochromia showing an orange-brown to blue iris.

  • Alice Eve, Men in Black 3, 2012 (crop)

    Actress Alice Eve has heterochromia: her left eye is blue and right eye is green.

  • Shane Warne February 2015

    Australian cricketer Shane Warne had complete heterochromia: his left eye was green and right eye was blue.

  • Anouchka Delon 2014

    Actress Anouchka Delon: brown and blue

  • Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer talks to reporters at 2016 All-Star Game availability. (28232354950)

    Professional baseball pitcher Max Scherzer has complete heterochromia: his right eye is blue and his left eye is brown.

  • Kate Bosworth Deauville 2011

    Actress Kate Bosworth has complete heterochromia: her left eye is blue and her right eye is hazel.

  • Dominic Sherwood (22429006997)

    Actor Dominic Sherwood has sectoral heterochromia.

  • Henry Cavill-2665842

    Actor Henry Cavill has sectoral heterochromia.

  • Heterochromia sled dog

    Complete heterochromia in a female sled dog

  • Husky pysk 89

    Complete heterochromia in a Siberian Husky: one eye blue, one eye brown.

  • DogEye2color cr wb

    Sectoral hypochromia in a blue merle Border Collie.

  • Heterochromia in a mutt dog

    Sectoral heterochromia in a mutt dog.

  • Angoraturco

    A Turkish Angora cat with complete heterochromia.

  • Central heterochromia cat

    Central heterochromia in a bicolor tabby cat.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Heterocromía para niños

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Heterochromia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.