Age related changes in eye color

Age related changes in eye color do occur among 10-15 percent of Caucasians. The eyes become lighter as a result of the progressive decrease in the number of pigment granules in the connective tissue (stroma) of the front layer of the iris. In children eye color changes in about 43 percent of patients between the ages of 3 months and six years as the iris is exposed to light to which the pigment granules react. In rare cases eye color changes can also accompany diseases of the eye, including macular degeneration, pigmentary glaucoma and Horner’s syndrome.