British experts note that eye color may indicate an increased likelihood of alcohol dependence, as well as a number of other diseases. The study is published in Express.
The hue of eye color is due to varying amounts of melanin, a pigment found in the iris. Lack of pigment “gives” blue eyes, and its excess leads to brown eyes, the study notes. The green color of the eyes is due to the “average” level of pigment.
Eye color can be indicative of various health conditions, including alcoholism. A University of Vermont study found that people with light eyes were 54% more likely to develop alcohol addiction than those with dark eyes.
People with dark eyes tend to be more sensitive to ethanol and faster feel intoxicated. They are more likely to control their condition in the future.
Eye color can affect not only the tendency to alcoholism. According to a study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, people with dark eyes are more likely to develop cataracts, a clouding of the lens that can lead to vision loss. Brown-eyed and black-eyed people are also more prone to vitiligo. This is a dermatological disease in which part of the skin stops producing pigment due to the destruction of melatonin. As a result, part of the fabric loses color, creating the effect of “variegation” or “white spots”.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, blue-eyed, grey-eyed, and green-eyed people have a higher risk of sun damage and skin cancer. The fact is that their iris has a lower level of protective melanin.
Even people with light eyes are more likely to develop age-related macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is the deterioration of the condition of its constituent cells. This causes a gradual loss of vision.
According to Russian researchers, blue-eyed people have weaker eyes, since their cornea is twice as sensitive as that of brown-eyed people. Therefore, people of the Nordic type tolerate lenses worse, they are prone to conjunctivitis.
A sharp change in eye color can be a signal of a serious illness, for example, pigmentary glaucoma.
Gray circles on the iris are the so-called senile arc, which occurs due to the deposition of fat around the iris. It can manifest itself due to high cholesterol levels in the blood or heart disease.
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