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We’re all familiar with the custom of referring to beautiful blue eyes as “baby blues.” Is this because all babies are born with blue eyes?
This phrase may have originated from the understanding that all infants are born with bright blue eyes, but this isn’t actually true. In fact, studies have shown that it’s more common for babies to be born with brown eyes.
Let’s review the biological factors that determine eye color and how to tell whether or not your baby’s piercing blue eyes will stick around.
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Why are babies born with blue eyes?
Many babies will have light-colored eyes at first, but iris color continues to develop for months after birth. Some babies may be born with blue eyes, but others are born with brown or hazel eyes.
In fact, blue eyes may be a little less common than you think. A 2016 study involving 192 newborns revealed that almost two-thirds of them were born with brown eyes. Only about one in five had blue eyes.
Eye color, just like skin and hair color, is determined by melanin. These natural pigments are produced by cells called melanocytes. Melanocytes help provide protection from sun damage, and increase their production in response to sun exposure.
When a baby is born, their eyes may be light or even blue, but they will likely change color as the melanocytes respond to light.
Race is also a factor, as researchers note that the majority of babies born with blue eyes are Caucasian. Other ethnic groups, including those of African and Asian ancestry, are more often born with brown eyes.
What determines babies’ eye color?
A baby’s eye color depends on their melanin levels. Generally speaking, Caucasian babies (especially those with blue eyes) have less melanin so their iris, hair and skin color are more likely to vary and develop with age and sun exposure. Conversely, babies with brown eyes have the most melanin, and their eyes are much less likely to change color.
While eye color is predominantly determined by these natural pigments, there are also other factors at work that will influence the color of a newborn’s irises.
Two brown-eyed parents are more likely to produce a brown-eyed baby, but it’s not a solid guarantee. If a grandparent, for instance, has blue eyes, it’s not unheard of for the baby to inherit their blue eyes.
The same can be said for parents with lighter colored eyes. It is absolutely possible for two blue-eyed parents to have a baby with brown eyes even if it is more likely they’ll go home with a blue-eyed babe.
How can I tell if my baby’s eyes will stay blue?
There’s always a chance that your baby’s blue eyes will be permanent, but it’s more likely they’ll become hazel, green or brown before they even take their first steps.
Eye color change will often taper off around six months, but some babies’ eyes keep changing hues for a year or even up to three. Until then, there’s no way to know for certain what color your baby’s eyes will ultimately be.
And while it isn’t entirely foolproof, a pretty good indicator of whether or not your child’s eye color will change is to inspect their eyes from the side. If their eyes are clear and bright blue, they may stay that way. If their eyes are a darker blue and there are flecks of gold throughout, they may change to hazel, green or brown.
Schedule your baby’s first eye exam
While it’s fun to dwell on your baby’s eye color, during their first several months of development, your infant and their eyes will undergo a number of changes aside from just the color of their irises. Because of this, it is important to have your infant’s eyes examined by a pediatric vision specialist sometime within their first six months.
Your baby won’t be able to communicate any potential eye problems, but a pediatric eye doctor will be able to assess their visual acuity and detect or rule out more serious immediate eye or vision issues.
This enables your baby’s doctor to catch early on anything that could potentially affect their ongoing vision development.
READ NEXT: What nursery colors are best for a baby's vision?
Page published in March 2020
Page updated in February 2022
- Being a mom
- Raising a baby
- Growth & development
As a mother, you likely already feel some sort of maternal instinct kicking in. You love and enjoy watching your little one grow and meet milestones. You’ve formed a bond with him or her, and you’ve likely done a ton of research! From new parenting skills and postpartum depression to what kind of medication is safe to take when breastfeeding, you’ve done your readings on the necessities. But you can’t help wonder what color your baby’s eyes will be. When do they stop changing color? And what age can you reliably predict what color eyes your child will have?
Just like the myth that your heart stops when you sneeze, there are plenty of myths and false facts surrounding newborn baby eyes and colors. Most baby eye changes occur between 6 to 9 months. These changes may continue until the age of 3 since your child’s body develops and as they grow. And surprisingly, eye color may continue to change into adulthood for up to 10% of the population. It’s another change that’s exciting to observe in your little one.
Many newborn baby eyes appear blue or gray, and whether or not this color changes frequently depends on the parents' eye colors.
The iris is the part of the eye responsible for pigmentation, and melanin is the pigment that gives way to baby eye color, hair color, and skin color. It’s the amount of melanin that truly determines what the color your newborn baby's eyes will be — and it's mainly genetics that determines how much melanin a person ends up with. The more melanin you have, the darker your eye color will be. The less melanin you have, the lighter your eyes will be. And melanin is activated by light exposure, which explains why over the first year of a baby’s life you may see significant eye color changes.
In newborns, eye color development has not yet begun. In other words, the pigmentation of the iris hasn’t developed due to the absence of light. This is why many newborn baby eyes are light or appear blue early on. With that said, a baby born with already genetically high melanin levels, such as those with darker skin, may already have darker eyes at birth. In these cases, the eyes frequently stay relatively dark.
As your baby is exposed to light outside the womb and during their first year of life, their body produces melanin. This is where you’ll see your baby eyes change color. Ultimately, how much they change is determined by genetics.
When do baby eyes change color?
Generally, baby eye color changes take place around 6 months old — but this isn’t a set rule by any means. Your baby’s eye color may continue to change up until 9 months to a year old. Some children even experience eye color changes until 3 years of age. Often, doctors and other experts recommend waiting until your child’s first birthday to determine their eye color due to these variances. By this time, you can usually predict with some accuracy what color their eyes will be.
Baby eye color change progression
So, when will you see the biggest changes? What are the milestones when it comes to baby eye color change progression? Below is a general overview of the most common baby eye color changes. Remember, though, that everyone is different and this timeline is in no way set in stone — it's simply a guide.
The first 6–9 months is generally when you will see the most changes in your baby’s eye color. Due to the production of melanin, their eyes may begin to darken. You likely won’t notice it all of a sudden; it will often appear fairly gradually.
At 12 months, many babies have their 'final' eye color. However, some sources suggest that your baby’s eye color may continue to change until the age of 3 or 6. Sometimes eye color can experience subtle changes well into adulthood — but this is rare.
Newborn baby eyes: Will they change color?
Most newborn baby eyes will change color, but not all. Again, this is where genetics plays a part, and you can somewhat predict your baby’s eye color off of genetics. If both parents have light blue eyes, your child will likely end up with light blue eyes. However, if one parent has brown eyes, this gene may dominate the light eye color. There's no way to know for certain, and the most you can do is make a probable prediction early on and then wait until your child is a year old to make a more concrete prediction.
The first year of your child’s life is an exciting time. Watching your child grow, change, and develop involves moments and experiences you’ll want to treasure for the rest of your life. Many parents find it interesting to see how their baby's eye color changes, and now you know a little more about when and why it happens.
In the grand scheme of things, eye color shouldn’t be added to your list of fears — especially when it comes to your child. It’s something that is entirely out of your control. Instead, focus on enjoying your time with your little one. Kids have a tendency to grow up fast, so embrace all the moments and milestones (and yes, that can absolutely include watching for those subtle but ever-present baby eye color changes).
Anna Targonskaya, MD — Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Medical Advisor
//www.verywellhealth.com/what-color-will-my-babys-eyes-be-3421603 //www.parents.com/baby/development/physical/when-do-babies-eyes-change-color/ //mentalfloss.com/article/73016/why-do-babies-eyes-change-co