The genetics of human eye color are much more complex than previously thought, according to a new study published today.
An international team of researchers led by King’s College London and Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam has identified 50 new genes for eye color in the largest genetic study of its kind to date. The study, published today in Science Advances, included the genetic analysis of nearly 195,000 people in Europe and Asia.
These findings will help improve understanding of eye diseases such as pigmentary glaucoma and ocular albinism, in which eye pigment levels play a role.
In addition, the team found that eye color in Asians with different shades of brown is genetically similar to eye color in Europeans, ranging from dark brown to light blue.
This study builds on previous research in which scientists had identified a dozen genes related to eye color, believing there are many more. Previously, scientists thought that eye color variation was determined by only one or two genes, with brown eyes dominating blue eyes.
Co-senior author Dr. Pirro Hysi, King’s College London, said: “The findings are exciting as they take us one step closer to understanding the genes that drive one of the most striking features of the human history. This will improve our understanding of many diseases that we know are related to specific levels of pigmentation. “
Co-senior author Dr Manfred Kayser, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, said:
“This study provides the genetic knowledge needed to improve eye color prediction based on DNA, as already used in anthropological and forensic studies, but with limited accuracy for the non-brown and non-blue eye colors.”
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