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Do Lighter Eyes Have More Trouble Filtering Light?
Many people with brown or dark colored eyes long for light blue or green eyes, but those lighter eyes come with some disadvantages. Light sensitivity is common among people with lighter eyes due to lower melanin levels.
If you’re struggling with light sensitivity, eye color could be the culprit. At Eyedrop Optique, Dr. Robert Ancona provides eye exams to get to the bottom of light sensitivity or dry and red eyes.
He’s an experienced optometrist who helps patients reduce eye strain and overcome light sensitivity through a range of treatments.
Light eye colors and sensitivity
People who have green, blue, or other light colored eyes are prone to light sensitivity – but it’s not because of an eye problem. The reason is much simpler – melanin.
Melanin is what makes your eyes their specific color. It’s pigment that’s within the iris that helps to filter light. Brown eyes are darker and have more melanin than blue or green eyes.
High levels of melanin in brown eyes absorb most of the light that comes into the iris before it gets to the retina. Lighter colored eyes have much less melanin, allowing more light to get through the iris and to the retina.
The extra light scatters within the eye, causing glare and sensitivity in bright environments.
Let’s break it down further
Less melanin in lighter eyes allows more unfiltered light to reach the retina, leading to various issues, including photophobia. This causes people with light colored eyes to squint or feel uncomfortable in bright rooms, under fluorescent lights, or when it’s sunny outside.
Photophobia is a variation of having light eyes, not a disease. It’s extremely common in those with blue and green eyes.
The greatest risk for those with lighter eyes is UV light penetrating the retina. Less melanin in light eyes allows harmful UV rays to enter and cause damage over time, including cataracts and macular degeneration.
Most importantly, light sensitivity isn’t an eye problem or condition – it’s simply how lighter eyes process and filter outside light.
Tips to improve light sensitivity
Struggling with light sensitivity is tough – but not impossible. If you have lighter colored eyes, we offer several tips to help you avoid discomfort, including several lifestyle tips that include:
- Wear wide-brimmed hats
- Adjust bright indoor lighting
- Invest in UV protecting sunglasses
- Use polarized lenses in sunglasses
- Utilize anti-glare coatings
Sometimes lifestyle adjustments aren’t enough to alleviate light sensitivity. In these cases, we offer specially tinted glasses or contact lenses that help you adjust faster to high-light environments.
We also prescribe eyedrops or other medications to address any underlying causes of light sensitivity.
To learn more about light sensitivity and how we can help, don’t hesitate to call Eyedrop Optique to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ancona. You can also request a vision exam consultation on our website.
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