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20 years
What might be the cause of a person having his eyes of different colors? Could it be a Y chromosome linked disorder since my dad and brother both have different colored eyes?
Aug 8, 2014
2nd opinion

Dr. Rania Mousa General Medicine
Heterochromia iridis is a condition in which the iris, the colored part of the eye, is composed of different colored patches or segments, or when the iris of one eye is a different color than the iris of the other eye.
This condition may involve one or both eyes.Most cases of heterochromia iridis occur by chance and are not associated with any other symptoms or problems.
In some cases, heterochromia iridis may be present from birth as part of a genetic disorder, such as Waardenburg syndrome, Sturge-Weber syndrome, or Parry-Romberg syndrome.
In other cases, this condition may be acquired if eye color changes after an injury to the eye, due to damage to nerves near the eyes, or in response to an environmental exposure.
Congenital heterochromia may be familial and is inherited as an AUTOSOMAL(A trait coded by a gene on an autosomal chromosome, meaning there are equal copies of it, and it is not the sex chromosome) it is a DOMINANT trait ,which means one copy of the altered gene is sufficient to cause the disorder. In most cases, an affected person has one parent with the condition. A small percentage of cases result from new mutations in the gene; these cases occur in people with no history of the disorder in their family.

Inherited eye color is determined by multiple genes. Environmental or acquired factors can alter these inherited traits. An infant with heterochromia should be examined by both a pediatrician and an ophthalmologist for other possible problems. If another disorder is suspected, diagnostic tests, such as blood tests or chromosome studies, may be done to confirm the diagnosis.

Most cases of heterochromia at birth are genetic and unassociated with any other ocular or systemic abnormality. This is simply called congenital heterochromia iridis. The lighter eye usually shows some loss of iris and therefore is regarded as the affected eye. The lighter iris may be differently colored throughout or only in part.

So ,depending on all these illustrations and if you are worried that you can carry the gene to your children the answer is NO ,you are not affected then you haven't the gene to inherit it ,since it is autosomal dominant ,your brother risk to his children is 50 % risk .

This estimation if it is only a hereditary character with no other cause of the condition .
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