In honor of St. Patrick’s Day and the “wearin’ of the green,” we thought it would be fun and fitting to share some interesting facts about green…eyes!

#1

Green is the rarest eye color. If your sparklers are truly green, you are something of a unicorn… only about 2% of the world’s population sport this hue.

#2

Green-eyed people can be found all around the globe. There is a Chinese village, Liqian, where a high percentage of the population sports green eyes and lighter hair.

#3

There isn’t any actual green pigment in a green eye. Melanin, a natural pigment that helps determine our skin, hair, and eye color, is found in all eyes. Brown eyes have quite a lot and blue eyes have relatively little. Green eyes are also low on melanin, but in addition they contain lipochrome, a yellowish, fat-soluble pigment. Lipochrome is also found in things like butter, eggs, and corn. So a little melanin, some lipochrome, and a cool light dispersing scattering called the Tyndall Effect combine to produce those rare green eyes!

#4

At least 16 genes contribute to eye color. You might have been taught in biology class that two brown-eyed parents can have only brown-eyed children, but it’s more complicated than that.

#5

Green eyes are popular in cultural references. Here are some famous characters with green eyes:

·         Jane Eyre—that plucky governess living in a “haunted” mansion, from the book Jane Eyre

·         Rapunzel—another courageous hero in Tangled

·         Scarlet O’Hara—feisty protagonist in Gone with the Wind

·         Scar—the scheming uncle in The Lion King

·         Mary Jane Watson, Catwoman, Batgirl—green eyes are popular in the world of comics

·         Sara Crewe—brave little girl from A Little Princess

·         Harry Potter – from the Harry Potter book series by J.K. Rowling

#6

In a large survey performed by All About Vision, green was voted the most attractive eye color, with over 20% of the 66,000 respondents choosing this hue.

#7

More women than men have green eyes. Scientists aren’t sure why this is, but it suggests there is an underlying gender-related factor that causes this difference.

#8

Cat with Green EyesAnimals can also sport green eyes.  Green eyes occur in dogs, snakes, frogs, birds, monkeys, multiple members of the cat family, and many other animals.

#9

People with green eyes are more likely to have certain health issues. Green eyes are more prone to melanoma of the uvea, a type of eye cancer, than are dark eyes. The same is true for macular degeneration. If you have green eyes, protect those beautiful peepers with a quality pair of sunglasses to lower your chances for these diseases!

Eye Allergies and You

Ocular allergies are among the most common eye conditions to hit people of all ages.

Though typically worse in the seasons of Spring and Summer, some people suffer with allergies all year. This is especially true for people who have allergies to pet dander, mold, dust mites, and other common allergens that tend to linger throughout the year.

The hallmark sign of ocular allergies is itching.

While itching can be a symptom of other eye conditions, the likelihood that there is at least some allergy component to the condition is quite high. This seems to be particularly true when the itching occurs mainly in the inner corner of the eyes. This signals that the condition is allergy-related, whereas itching along the eyelid margin suggests other conditions.

Allergy itching is usually accompanied by redness, tearing, and string-like mucus discharge from the eye. When accompanied by rhinitis, sinusitis, and sneezing, people can truly suffer from their allergies - especially as it relates to the eye.

The good news is there are numerous avenues for relief from this annoying condition.

There are many over-the-counter antihistamine drops. Talk to your eye doctor about which ones are recommended.

In particularly severe cases, prescription antihistamine/mast cell stabilizer combination drops, or even topical steroids, can be used. In addition, cold compresses can be a great therapy in combination with the drops.

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Our doctors and staff are committed to providing thorough care with personal attention. At Eye Doctors of Madison, you will find the compassionate care of a small-town doctors' office with the knowledge of a big-city institution. It is our mission to not only treat each patient uniquely but also like family.

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