What's The Rarest Eye Color? See 7 Rare Eyes in the World

Human eye color is dependent on multiple genes. Scientists have a good understanding of a couple of these genes, which determine the most common eye colors: brown and blue. But they are still exploring how other colors, such as green, hazel, grey, and other combinations, develop.

Contrary to popular belief, your eye colors don't result in a mix of your parents' colors. Many genes are at play from each parent, so how you end up with your eye color is a game of chance.

You commonly see brown or blue eyes when you look at the people around you, but some people wind up with cool and rare eye colors. What is the rarest eye color? Take a look at this eye color chart first, showcasing the rarest to the most common eye colors.

#1 Rarest Eye Color: Heterochromia

Heterochromia is the most unusual eye color in the world and is seen in less than 1% of people. This is when one iris or part of it is a different color from the other iris. There are three types of heterochromia:

• Complete heterochromia: Each eye has a unique color.
• Sectoral heterochromia: There are two colors in the same eye.
• Central heterochromia: The irises are identical but have a circle of a distinct color over the pupils.

A baby can be born with heterochromia, where each eye has a different color, and still has perfectly healthy eyes.

It can also develop later as a sign of conditions such as Horner Syndrome or Sturge-Weber Syndrome. Heterochromia may also result from eye injuries or diseases like glaucoma.

#2 Rarest Eye Color: Red or Violet Eyes

Red or violet eyes are mostly caused by albinism, accounting for 1% of the world's population.

People with inherited albinism have little to no melanin in their skin, hair, and irises. Often, they have light blue eyes. In rare cases, the irises are clear due to a lack of melanin, and their eyes may appear pink or red because the blood vessels are visible.

Mix a lack of pigment with the red from light reflecting off of blood vessels in the eyes, and they get beautiful violet eyes.

#3 Rarest Eye Color: Green Eyes

Excluding the two special cases of heterochromia and red/violet eyes, green eyes are the rarest eye color, with only about 2% of the world’s population having them.

Green eyes are not due only to the amount of melanin in the eye, but also to how light scatters off the eye. The optical effect of light scattering off the melanin in these eyes makes them green.

TTDeye has many colored contact lenses that can turn your eyes a natural green.

🎯 If you don’t want the style with a limbal ring, then Queen Green, Kiwi Green, and Ice Green will be your choice.

🎯 If you want to enlarge your eyes subtly, consider Himalaya Green, Bee Green, and Bailey Green. They will allow you to change your eye color in no time and not be bold or dramatic in real life.

👉 For more options, check the whole collection of Green Contacts >>

#4 Rarest Eye Color: Grey Eyes

With about 3% of the world's population having them, grey eyes are one of the rarest eye colors after green eyes.

People used to associate grey eyes with blue eyes, but they are not quite the same despite them both having low levels of melanin. What makes these eyes appear grey rather than blue has to do with the amount of collagen present in the stroma. This interferes with the Rayleigh scattering, causing the light to reflect grey rather than blue.

Interestingly, grey eye color changes in different lighting. In sunlight, they might take on a greenish hue, while indoor lighting can shift them towards blue or even violet tones. Grey eyes come in various shades, including dark grey, grey-blue, grey-green, or almost hazel. The depth of the grey color varies from person to person.

TTDeye also offers different grey shades for you.

🎯 You can not miss Polar Lights Grey, one of our best sellers, if you are looking for some bold and light grey. Trinity Grey, Polar Lights Blue-Grey, and Passion Fruit Grey will add some blue tones to your eyes and make the transition more natural so that the lenses can blend with your eyes well.

🎯 Himalaya Grey and Real Crystal have lighter shades. The limbal ring of these two styles can subtly enlarge your eyes.

👉 For more options, explore our extensive offer of Grey Contacts >>

#5 Rarest Eye Color: Amber Eyes

Amber is the 5th-rarest eye color after heterochromia, red/violet, green, and grey, in 5% of the world's population.

Amber eyes are different from hazel eyes because they do not contain hints of brown, green, or orange. While hazel eyes might change color or contain flecks of red or gold, amber eyes are always a solid gold hue.

In poor lighting, it's easy to mistake amber eyes with hazel eyes. In natural lighting, however, you’ll see that hazel eyes tend to have two very distinct colors within the iris. They are often brown and green and contain speckles and mixed hues. With a little melanin and a whole lot of lipochrome, the eyes of this shade almost appear to be glowing!

A few different animals have this eye color, but it’s a true rarity in humans. However, TTDEYE can help you get a pair of amber eyes in a second.

🎯 If you’ve lost interest in the usual brown contacts, looking for some bright amber brown, like Iris Gold-Brown, Egypt Brown, Sunflower Brown, and Donut Brown will allow your eyes to shine in the sun. For a more reddish amber color, Trinity Brown is a better choice.

👉 All lenses we recommend here are included in the collection of Brown Contacts >>

#6 Rarest Eye Color: Hazel Eyes

Only about 5% of the population worldwide has hazel eyes, making them one of the rarest eye colors in the world.

After brown eyes, hazel eyes have the most melanin. Although sometimes mistaken for green or brown eyes, hazel eyes are not the same as brown or green eyes. Instead, they are a mix of green, brown, and even gold. Hazel eyes have a concentration of melanin on the outside of the iris, giving the eye a multicolored appearance.

The three-toned colored contacts will help you get charming hazel eyes.

🎯 Trinity Green is definitely your hazel choice for an everyday makeup look. With the soft brown and green limbal ring, Iris Brown-Green II can change your dark eyes to hazel ones but very natural that no one can tell you are wearing contact lenses.

👉 If you want more hazel choices, go for Hazel Contacts >>

#7 Rarest Eye Color: Blue Eyes

Blue eyes are quite common, with approximately 8-10% of people around the world having this eye color.

The unique feature of blue eyes lies in the absence of melanin in the fibers of the stroma. This lack of melanin allows for the maximum scattering of light, resulting in more blue light reflecting out of the iris compared to other colors.

Interestingly, blue eyes have no blue pigment at all. The way they look is entirely dependent on the available light. This phenomenon is known as structural color. Unlike eyes with pigments, the color of blue eyes can vary based on lighting conditions, showcasing different shades.

👉 Shop at TTDeye Blue Contacts to get beautiful blue eyes.

FAQs about the Rarest Eye Colors in the World

Q1: What are the top 3 rarest eye colors?

Excluding the two special cases of heterochromia and albinism-caused red or violet eyes, green, grey, and amber eyes take the top three spots. If you consider these two special cases, the top three are heterochromia, red/violet eyes due to albinism, and green eyes.

Q2: Is grey the rarest eye color?

According to WorldAtlas and Wikipedia, green eyes are rarer than grey eyes, in 2% of the world's population. And 3% of the world's population has naturally gray eyes.

Q3: Do purple eyes exist?

Purple or violet eyes are extremely rare and typically occur due to hereditary albinism. Achieving this striking eye color is uncommon for most people and often requires the use of purple-colored contacts.

Q4: Are there black eyes in the world?

Technically, true black eyes don't exist. People with eyes that appear black actually have very dark brown eyes, nearly indistinguishable from the pupil. In fact, brown eyes are the most common eye color in the world.

Q5: What is the most attractive eye color?

Green eyes were voted to be the most attractive eye color in the world. Light blue, hazel, and dark blue eyes followed closely behind. To make your eyes a natural green shade, try TTDeye Green Contacts >>

Final Words

There is a vast range of beautiful eye colors in the world, some being rarer than others. While you may not be able to choose your eye color, it is still an important part of who you are. We hope you have enjoyed the different colors of eyes and their meanings.

Your eye color is usually set at around the age of 3 years old. However, you can change the color of your eyes with colored contact lenses. If you are curious about what you would look like with different eye colors, then join the colorful world TTDEYE has created for you!