Ophthalmology (EYES) with Reid Wainess
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Color Vision
Color vision is a fascinating interplay of biology and physics, as explains. Our eyes use rods for low light and cones for color detection, with deficiencies in these cones leading to color vision deficiency, commonly known as color blindness 1. Innovations like enchroma glasses have been developed to help those with color vision deficiencies experience vibrant colors by separating certain wavelengths 1.
It's not that the melanin is blue. It's the amount of melanin in your eye changes what it looks like.
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Eye color itself is a result of the Tyndall effect, where the lack of pigment allows shorter wavelengths to scatter and reflect, creating the appearance of blue or green eyes 2.
Eye Color Changes
Eye color can appear to change based on lighting and surroundings, as clarifies. This phenomenon is due to the way light reflects off the eye, not an actual change in the eye's color 3. Wearing different colored clothing can enhance this effect by creating contrast, making the eyes seem to change color 3.
Your eyes can look different. You sense the color based on the light bouncing back to you, not what the color actually is.
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This understanding of light and color reflection helps explain why eye colors can seem to shift in different environments.