Celebrating Blue Eyes: A Unique Trait in Native American Heritage

November is Native American Heritage Month, so we thought it would be a splendid time to focus on a rare genetic trait found in some Indigenous people: blue eyes. This relatively uncommon feature among Native Americans is not as surprising as it may seem when we consider how our eyes get their color.

Blue Eyes Are Not Really Blue

Eye color depends on the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. The iris has two layers, and in everyone’s eyes, the back layer contains the brown pigment, melanin.

It’s differences in the front layer (the stroma) that make eyes appear brown, hazel, blue or green. Unlike those with shades of brown pigment in the stroma, people with blue eyes have no pigment at all. This reduced melanin means more scattering of light as it enters the eye, causing more of the shorter wavelengths of blue light to get back out. Like the blue of the sky, eyes appear blue because blue light is scattered more than other colors.

The Genetic Connection

At the beginning of human history, everyone had brown eyes. But scientists think that somewhere along the line in human evolution there was a change, or mutation, in the OCA2 gene that controls melanin production in the iris. Less melanin and voila – blue eyes! This blue-eyed trait is therefore ancient history, and it’s thought that the origins of blue eyes in Native Americans might be found in the migration patterns of their ancestors.
The exact origins are not known for sure, but one theory for blue-eyed inheritance might be traced back to contact with European explorers or early migrations from Siberia or Europe where blue eyes are more common.

A Cultural Heritage

According to the Native Tribe website, individuals with blue eyes in some tribes were considered to be descendants of ancient spirits or messengers from the beyond. The Navajo believed that blue-eyed children brought good luck and prosperity to the community. Today, the blue-eyed trait continues to be a source of pride and cultural heritage for many Native American tribes.

At Atlantic Eye, we believe that healthy eyes are beautiful, no matter their color. As we approach the busy holiday season, remember we are here for you to help keep your eyes healthy and your vision strong.