When is the eye color of newborns determined?

Your newborn’s eyes look blue? Don’t get too excited yet—here’s why.

He lifts his eyelids for the first time and looks at you with those gray-blue eyes that immediately startle you.
Partly because blue eyes are generally rarer worldwide and, for that reason, undeniably fascinating.
And partly because both parents have dark eyes, which makes it quite a surprise.
Does he have blue eyes? Really?

He lifts his eyelids for the first time and looks at you with those gray-blue eyes that immediately startle you.
Partly because blue eyes are generally rarer worldwide and, for that reason, undeniably fascinating.
And partly because both parents have dark eyes, which makes it quite a surprise.
Does he have blue eyes? Really?

Well, not necessarily! Or rather, it will still take some time to know for sure. Many parents fall into this “trap.” When a child is born, their eyes are often gray or blue. We’ll explain why in the next few lines.

How is the eye color of a newborn determined?

Eye color, like skin or hair color, can vary widely. The child could have brown, hazel, green, blue, or even gray eyes.

How many months does it take to see the eye color?

The final color won’t be clear until the child is about 6 months old. In some children, eye color may not fully stabilize until around 12 months.

Perchè il colore degli occhi si può vedere solo dopo 6 mesi?

This is because eye color is determined by the amount of melanin present in the pigmented cells of the iris and in the melanosomes. The more melanin there is, the darker the eyes will be; with less melanin, the eyes will likely be blue. In the complete absence of melanin, the eyes will be albino. Eye color often changes during the first six months because it can shift as melanocytes begin producing more melanin in response to light.

That’s why a baby born with gray-blue eyes may suddenly start looking at you with two beautiful, deep brown eyes.

A matter of genetics... but not too much

In addition, genetics also plays a role in determining eye color. However, the genetics of eye color is not yet fully understood, and despite many studies, there are still few certainties.

In general, two parents with blue eyes have a good chance of having a child with blue eyes ; two parents with brown eyes have a high probability of having a brown-eyed child , but if one of the grandparents has blue eyes, the probability of having a child with blue eyes increases a bit. Finally, if one parent has brown eyes and the other has blue eyes, the chances of having a child with dark or blue eyes are almost equal. These are high probabilities, but not certainties.

Many factors come into play, which often results in a big surprise for parents and for all the relatives eagerly waiting to find out what color the new arrival’s eyes will be.

It was once believed that only one gene determined eye color. Today, however, we know there are many more, and that dominant colors - like brown – present in the parents’ genetics, for example, increase the likelihood of conceiving a child with dark eyes.

In short, it’s far from simple, and guessing the color of your newborn child is truly a gamble.

How to determine the eye color of a newborn?

Trust genetics! Check out the post below to find out what color your child's eyes will be.


Four curious things you may not know about children's eyes

Color isn’t everything when it comes to children’s eyes. Their vision develops slowly, just like their color perception. Did you know, for example, that newborns can only see very close up and don’t see colors well? If not, here are three things you absolutely need to know about children’s eyesight.

  1. Los recién nacidos solo pueden ver hasta aproximadamente 30 centímetros de distancia , which is about 5 percent of the visual capacity an adult eventually acquires. Everything beyond 30 centimeters is blurry for newborns. But that’s enough for them to see their mother clearly—their point of reference for many, many months! Those 30 centimeters, in fact, roughly represent the distance between mother and child during breastfeeding... Curious? No, it’s a true magic of nature.

  2. Children do not see colors well . It was once thought that they only saw shades of gray for a long time, but in recent years, scientific studies have shown that this isn’t the case at all. Children can see some colors, but at first they aren’t able to identify them. They start by recognizing white and black and then gradually expand their color range as they begin to perceive more and more colors. In just two months, they can already distinguish primary colors—red, blue, and even yellow! Incredible, right? It’s a very rapid evolution!

  3. It will take a year before a child can see like an adult. Recent studies have shown that a child’s vision begins to be as clear as an adult’s around the age of one year, but for some children, full development may occur around two years old. How can you tell if your child is starting to see farther and farther? Observe their eye movements, and notice when they try to reach for objects with their little hands to bring them to their mouth: they’re seeing better and better, and soon they’ll spend their time watching all your movements! And it’s curious—they can’t wait to join you on your household “adventures,” following you as you move from one room to another. Finally, the world is clear, and your child can’t wait to discover it and observe everything, up close and from afar!

  4. The amount of exposure to sunlight can influence melanin production and thus the future eye color of children. La exposición al sol puede influir en el color de ojos del niño porque la producción de melanina en el iris se estimula con la luz. Cada vez que el niño está expuesto a la luz solar, su cuerpo produce melanina para proteger la piel y los ojos del daño causado por los rayos ultravioleta. Los niños que están expuestos a mayores cantidades de luz solar durante los primeros meses de vida pueden tener un proceso de producción de melanina más rápido en comparación con aquellos que están expuestos a menos luz solar. Esto puede afectar el proceso de aclaramiento de los ojos del niño, ya que el iris se vuelve más oscuro a medida que aumenta la producción de melanina.

Exposure to sunlight should be moderate, since it can be harmful to the child's skin and eyes. Always remember to protect your child from UV rays with suitable sunglasses and sunscreen.

Which sunglasses should children choose?

Choosing sunglasses for children should be done carefully, as eye protection is very important for their health.

Here are some tips for choosing the perfect glasses for your child:

  1. UVA and UVB Protection: Sunglasses should provide 100% UV protection. We recommend glasses with polarized lenses to reduce glare and improve visibility.

  2. Fit and adaptability: They should fit securely on your child’s head to prevent them from falling off or shifting. Additionally, they should be lightweight, comfortable to wear, and made of a soft material that won’t irritate the skin.

  3. Resistance: They should be shock- and scratch-resistant, preferably made of soft, flexible plastic with an adjustable strap behind the head.

  4. Design: If your child is old enough, let them choose their favorite colored sunglasses to encourage them to wear them.

  5. Reliable brands: Choose reliable brands that meet safety standards for children's products and are suitable for the child’s age.

In general, we always recommend consulting an ophthalmologist or an optician before purchasing sunglasses for children.

Frequently Asked Questions

Preguntas frecuentes

When do you see the eye color?

The final color will not be known until the child is about 6 months old , and in some individuals, eye color even stabilizes around 12 months.

How can you tell if a newborn has light-colored eyes?

Most infants are born with blue/gray or light blue eyes due to the lack of pigmentation in the iris. However, during the first few months of life, the child's eye color may change as the iris's melanin production system develops. Melanin determines the eye color. Therefore, if you want to understand whether a newborn has light eyes, you need to wait a few months and observe the evolution of the child's eye color. Generally, the child's eye color stabilizes around 6-12 months of age. Additionally, the child's eye color can also be influenced by the genetics of their parents. If both parents have light eyes, the child is more likely to have light eyes as an adult, while if both parents have dark eyes, the child is more likely to have dark eyes. However, there is no fixed rule, and the child's eye color could be different from that of the parents if some recessive genes are inherited from both parents.

How to determine a child's eye color?

The eye color of a child can be predicted based on the genetics of their parents, but there is no precise way to determine the child's eye color with certainty. In general, a child's eye color depends on the combination of genes inherited from their parents and can vary based on genetics. Finally, being a unique characteristic, it does not depend solely on genetics but also on other factors such as the amount of exposure to sunlight.

When do the newborn's eyes lighten?

There is no specific moment when a newborn's eyes lighten, as the process of melanin production in the iris can vary from person to person. Usually, newborns are born with blue or gray eyes due to the lack of pigmentation in the iris; then, during the first months of life, the iris's melanin production system develops and the eye color can change. The process of a newborn's eyes lightening can be influenced by factors such as genetics and exposure to sunlight. For example, if the child has inherited genes for dark eyes from both parents, their eye-lightening process might be slower compared to a child who has inherited genes for light eyes from both parents.