# Changing eye colors **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-eye-colors/93450 "2001-11-15T03:40:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eskimo\_Spy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/96bed5/32.png) [@Eskimo\_Spy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eskimo_Spy)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-eye-colors/93450/1 "2001-11-15T03:40:24Z")
I noticed that my eyes are predominately blue in the morning, and mostly green by the time i go to bed at night. I have observed this no matter what kind of shirt I have on (like blue or green). I also have a friend who claims the same thing. Is this possible? Or are we imagining things? Or are we some kind of weird freak? ---
**Author:** ![RaCha\_ar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@RaCha\_ar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaCha_ar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-eye-colors/93450/2 "2001-11-15T04:07:50Z")
I can’t answer the question, but I don’t think you’re crazy, either. Both my boyfriend and I have grey-blue-green eyes (although his are more just blue-green) that change colours from day to day. I call this phenomenon “mood ring eyes.” I’m quite sure it doesn’t only have to do with what colour shirt I’m wearing, but I really don’t know the physical mechanics of it. ::off to look for an answer:: ---
**Author:** ![RaCha\_ar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@RaCha\_ar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaCha_ar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-eye-colors/93450/3 "2001-11-15T04:19:55Z")
From [http://home.earthlink.net/~odiehog/Eyecolor.htm:](http://home.earthlink.net/~odiehog/Eyecolor.htm:) > [@](#): > > Can your eyes really change color? Well, not really, but they certainly can appear to change. All of what we see around us is REFLECTED light. When you look at an object or even another person, you are actually receiving reflected light into your eyes. If that object was illuminated with red light, you would see that object as red, even though it may in fact be white. The melanocytes of the iris do not change (except in infants and the elderly) and therefore are not responsible for periodic eye color changes. The light around you does change, however, especially reflected light…from the color of the room, the sky, and your clothes. I don’t really like this answer. 😃 It doesn’t really explain why your eyes would be a different colour at night than in the morning, unless it’s the difference between sunlight and artificial light. But I’d imagine that you experience this phenomenon whether you’re indoors or out, right? I’m looking for more information but this is the best I can find at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Milton\_De\_La\_Warre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Milton_De_La_Warre)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-eye-colors/93450/4 "2001-11-15T12:21:20Z")
I believe it has something to do with body chemistry. I knew a guy who had chemo for a brain tumor. Before, he had brown hair and dark brown eyes. After, (the treatment had been completed) he had light brown to blondish hair and most definitely blue eyes. I thought I was mistaken about my observations, but I raised the issue with the individual’s family and they confirmed that it was accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Perderabo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Perderabo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Perderabo)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-eye-colors/93450/5 "2001-11-15T15:18:23Z")
I have gray-blue-green thing too. But if I go into the bathroom (mine has no window) and carefully examine my eyes in the mirror, they always look the same. My best guess is that they seem to change color due to some kind of optical illusion effect. Various things can alter the color of your iris, but it’s gradual, not a daily fluctuation. I have glaucoma and use an eyedrop called Xalatan. As it says [here](http://xalatan.com/patients/about_xalatan/) > [@](#): > > Some patients also notice darkening of eye color, eyelid or eyelashes in the eye(s) treated with XALATAN. ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2001, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/changing-eye-colors/93450/6 "2001-11-15T17:27:22Z")
I have the “changing eye color” thing, but I haven’t noticed a difference between the morning and the evening. I think my eyes are predominently grey, and depending on the lighting and what I wear they appear to be blue or green. I think it’s cool!