Medical Health Encyclopedia

Heterochromia

Injury Disease Nutrition Poison Symptoms Surgery Test Special Topic

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Y

Heterochromia

Overview Treatment

Heterochromia

Definition:

Heterochromia is the presence of different colored eyes in the same person.

Alternative Names:
Differently colored eyes; Eyes - different colors

Text Continues Below

---

Considerations:

Heterochromia is uncommon in humans, but quite common in dogs (such as Dalmatians and Australian sheep dogs), cats, and horses.

Common Causes:

Most cases of heterochromia are hereditary, caused by a disease or syndrome, or due to an injury. Sometimes one eye may change color following certain diseases or injuries.

Specific causes include:

• Familial heterochromia (autosomal dominant transmission)
• Waardenberg syndrome (congenital and autosomal dominant)
• Some medications used to treat glaucoma may cause the iris (colored part of the eye) to darken
• Neurofibromatosis (may cause the affected iris to darken)
• Injury, hemorrhage (bleeding), glaucoma, or foreign body in the eye

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 2004 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.