You may have tried to achieve dreamy purple eyes with contact lenses, but are you aware that very few people may have natural purple eyes? This HealthHearty article provides information regarding the same.
We’ve seen black, brown, hazel, blue, and green eyes. But, have you ever seen someone with naturally purple eyes? Perhaps you have, perhaps not. The possibility of having purple eyes originates from both, a legend that has formed the basis of a medical condition and an actual medical condition. It is, however, considered to be a very rare condition, with no recent evidence of the existence of such a condition. Even so, there are certain causes that may lead to the possibility of developing natural purple eyes. These are discussed below.
Conditions that Cause Purple Eyes
As mentioned above, the possibility of developing such a condition lies in both myth and medicine. These possibilities have been explained below.
Alexandria’s Genesis
Alexandria’s genesis is a disorder that has originated from what a majority of people consider to be just a myth or a legend. Though the presence of this disorder is not known in today’s times, it is possible that such a condition may have existed in the past. Among the symptoms of this disorder, one of them is purple eyes. The legend that has given rise to this genetic condition is that several centuries ago, in a small village of Egypt, there occurred a mysterious flash of light in the sky that affected all the village people and led them to develop pale white skin along with purple eyes. Due to these developments in their appearance, they came to be known as ‘spirit people’. The first person to be born with purple eyes as a result of this disorder was in England, in 1329, named Alexandria. She went on to give birth to four girls, who also had the same condition, but lived well up to hundred years of age. Persons who suffer from this condition, apart from having purple eyes, are also known to have ‘perfect vision’ though this may be naturally possible, and not the result of any genetic defect or mutation.
Albinism
Albinism is one of the genetic disorders in human beings that is characterized by the lack of pigmentation in skin, hair, and eyes. This is due to an altered gene that prevents the development of melanin, which contributes to our skin, hair, and eye color. Apart from these symptoms, one of the facts about albinism is that, in very rare cases, a person suffering from albinism may also have purple eyes. In effect, the lack of melanin causes the eyes to appear red as all the blood vessels are visible through the iris. This condition has been seldom found as the blue reflections of the collagen are stronger in their eyes. However, in very rare cases, the blue and the red reflections may combine to give the appearance of violet or purple eyes. Persons suffering from albinism have eyes that are very sensitive to sunlight. This is known as photosensitivity. The iris allows light to filter through the eyes, and it is this sunlight along with the reflections in the eyes, that may give the appearance of purple eyes. Whether, then, a person with albinism is born with purple eyes, is still not known, and is yet to be discovered.
Is it possible to have purple eyes then? Though the basis of having purple eyes lies in genetic defects, the first condition or Alexandria’s genesis lies in legend, while albinism is a condition most of us have heard of, and perhaps even seen. As has been mentioned several times before, the possibility of having natural purple eyes cannot be ruled out completely although it is a very rare condition. However, if you are aware of someone who has natural purple eyes, or you are someone who has them yourself, we would like to know more about this condition, and hear about your experiences.
Disclaimer: This HealthHearty article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.
