When Do Babies’ Eyes Change Color?

Are you curious about when your newborn’s eyes will begin to change color, or if they’ll even change at all? It is true that a baby’s eye color will typically evolve in the first 3 to 6 months of her life—or sometimes even the first few years. Your baby’s eyes changing color is completely normal and even exciting!

What is eye color?

Eye color is a culmination of genetics, melanin, and light working together to display a certain colored eye. Do babies eyes change color? Yes, they certainly can—as can the eye color of adults. That’s because eye color is an evolving trait that’s impacted by a number of internal and external factors. 

To understand the foundation of how eye color works, let’s take a look at the primary components that make up a person’s eye color. 

The Anatomy of Eye Color

Eye color is a complex biological phenomenon that scientists are still researching today. However, we know that these three parts of the eye play a key role in its color: 

• Melanin – Melanin is a brown pigment found in skin, hair, and eyes that absorbs UV light and radiation. It’s produced in cells called melanocytes and the production is stimulated by light. This is why your skin “tans” in the sun—more melanin is being produced.
• Melanocytes – Melanocytes are responsible for producing melanin. Everyone has a similar amount, but some people’s melanocytes produce more melanin than others. High-producing melanocytes result in darker skin, darker hair, and darker eye color. Whether melanocytes are high-producing or low-producing is determined by genetics.
• Iris – The colored part of the eye – It’s a structure of muscles and cells that contracts and relaxes to let light through the pupil, or the black center of the eye. 

The key to eye color lies in the iris. All irises have some melanin in them, but the amount varies in each individual like a fingerprint. The amount of melanin in the stroma, or the front layer of the iris, is the largest contributor to final eye color. 

What color eyes are babies born with?

The short answer to this question is that a baby can be born with any eye color. So, do all babies have blue eyes? No, not necessarily. One of the factors that can help determine your newborn’s eye color is the ethnic background of the biological parents. 

A study in 2016 determined that when a baby had biological parents with Caucasian backgrounds, they were more likely born with blue or gray eyes. The same study determined that when a baby’s biological parents had Asian, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander backgrounds, they were more likely born with brown eyes. 

But it is worth noting that baby eye color progression from blue to brown is more likely than a brown-to-blue shift, so if your baby is born with brown eyes, it’s not very likely that they’ll change to blue or green later. 

Do genetics influence babies’ eye color?

Yes, the genetics of the biological parents can impact a baby’s eye color. In fact, there are 16 different genes that impact eye color. 

The genetic influence of the parents largely goes back to melanin production. For example, if both biological parents have melanocytes that produce very little melanin, their baby will more likely have the same melanocyte tendencies—and thus, similar eye color.

So, although it’s not the only deciding factor, looking at the eye color of the biological parents holds some merit in the likelihood of certain eye colors for baby: 

• Brown eyes / brown eyes – If both biological parents have brown eyes, the baby is very likely to have brown eyes as they are more likely to have more melanin in the iris. However, if one of the biological parents has a parent with blue eyes, the chance of the baby’s eyes being blue is slightly greater. 
• Blue eyes / brown eyes – An even blue eyes/brown eyes split (i.e. one biological parent has blue eyes while the other has brown eyes) means the baby has a 50/50 chance of having permanently blue eyes. 
• Blue eyes / blue eyes – If both biological parents have blue eyes, it’s very likely (though not certain) that the baby will share this trait and also have permanently blue eyes. 

Does melanin play a role in babies’ eye color changing?

Melanin impacts a baby’s eye color at birth and the eye color shift in their first few years of life.

We already discussed how melanocytes produce melanin in the iris (which determines eye color), but that’s only part of the story. Although genetics tell melanocytes how much melanin to produce, melanin production doesn’t stop at birth.  

After birth, light encourages additional melanin production.

Additional Reasons Babies’ Eyes Change Colors

In less common cases, certain genetic conditions and eye diseases might be the cause of a baby’s eyes changing color. 

We know it’s scary to consider your baby experiencing any severe health conditions; however, these conditions are extremely rare (approximately 1 in 50,000). Your healthcare providers will be there to guide you through the process should you need support. 

Here are some of the health conditions that may cause abnormal eye color changes in babies: 

• Albinism – Albinism is a genetic condition that occurs when there is little to no production of melanin in the body. A baby born with albinism will usually have very light blue or gray eyes. However, there are several other signs to determine albinism at birth, such as pale skin, light hair, and impaired vision—signs your doctor can catch right away.
• Aniridia – Aniridia is a rare genetic condition marked by a partially or completely missing iris, so the eye lacks color entirely. This condition is usually determined at birth. Your doctor can help diagnose an aniridic baby and determine whether it may be a sign of other linked genetic conditions. 
• Color blindness – Color blindness is a genetic condition in which a person has trouble deciphering between colors. In fact, all babies are born color blind—their color senses don’t kick in until around 4 months after birth. After that, color blindness can be tested with an Ishihara test to see how the baby responds to different colors. 
• Glaucoma – Glaucoma is another rare condition that results from excess fluid in the eye after birth. The main sign of glaucoma in babies is a cloudy iris, which you can usually detect at birth or within the first few months afterward. Surgeries are available to treat or help the baby’s eyes if glaucoma is found. 
• Heterochromia – Heterochromia is a condition that displays two different eye colors, like one blue eye and one brown eye, because of an abnormality in the gene formation of a baby’s eyes during gestation. Babies with heterochromia often live healthy lives with normal eyesight. However, sometimes heterochromia can signal other more severe medical conditions, which your doctor can test for. 

When do babies’ eyes stop changing color?

Research shows that most babies reach their final eye color around 6 years old. However, as genetics vary, the question of when do baby’s eyes change color can range. Some babies reach their final eye color by their first birthday party, while others’ eye color continues to change into young adulthood. 

If your child is born with blue eyes, you might ask yourself how long do babies eyes stay blue? While there’s no way to say for certain, genetics may play a role in this answer, too. In one study, researchers determined that 15% of Caucasian babies experienced eye color changes linked to genetics throughout their adolescence and adulthood. 

Babies’ eye color changing is a fascinating combination of genetics and external factors like exposure to light. A newborn’s eyes may change color from their initial hue within the first few months to six years of life, thanks to melanin production, with the color often solidifying between the ages of six to ten years, although further changes can sometimes continue into adulthood.

This post has been reviewed for accuracy by the following medical professional:

Katie Smith, MSN, APRN, CNM

Katie Smith is a seasoned Certified Nurse Midwife and a nurturing mother to six children, offering a unique blend of professional expertise and personal experience. She is the founder of Birth Your Way Midwifery and Women’s Wellness Center in Bay County, Florida. Katie's comprehensive approach to care is informed by her hands-on experience in motherhood and her passion for empowering women through their birthing journey. Her dedication extends beyond her center as she actively engages in community wellness and family health education.

Sources:

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2. Mayo Clinic. Albinism. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/albinism/symptoms-causes/syc-20369184
3. Rare Disease Database. Aniridia. https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/aniridia/#:~:text=Aniridia%20is%20marked%20by%20partial,can%20be%20seen%20from%20birth
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5. Birmingham & Midland Eye Centre. Congenital Glaucoma. http://bmec.swbh.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/CONGENITAL-GLAUCOMA.pdf
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