A person cannot have a naturally pigmented orange eye color. The spectrum of natural human iris color is determined by the type and amount of pigment present, primarily ranging from brown to blue. However, a specific, rare genetic coloration exists that is often described as orange, and various external or medical conditions can cause the entire eye to take on an intense orange or yellow hue. The perception of an orange eye is therefore less about a distinct pigment and more about a combination of genetics, light interaction, and sometimes, health status.
The Biological Basis of Eye Color
Human eye color results from the interaction of light with pigment and structure. The pigment that creates most colors is melanin, which comes in two forms: eumelanin, responsible for dark brown and black tones, and pheomelanin, which provides lighter reddish-yellow hues. These pigments are located within the iris, particularly in the stroma, the front layer of the iris.
The amount of eumelanin dictates the darkness of the eye, with high concentrations resulting in dark brown eyes. Lighter colors like blue and green are not caused by blue or green pigment. Instead, these colors are structural, resulting from a process known as Rayleigh scattering, where light waves scatter off the collagen fibers in the stroma.
When the stroma contains very little melanin, the shorter, blue wavelengths of light are scattered back out, making the eyes appear blue. Green eyes are the result of a small amount of yellowish pheomelanin combining with this structural blue background.
Amber Eyes: The Closest Natural Hue to Orange
The closest natural eye color to orange is known as amber. Amber eyes are characterized by a solid, uniform coloration that ranges from golden-yellow to a coppery or russet tone. Unlike other light eye colors, amber eyes lack the flecks of green, brown, or gold that are characteristic of the more common hazel eye color.
This striking, intense color is attributed to a relatively high concentration of the yellowish pigment lipochrome, which is a type of pheomelanin. The dominance of this yellow-red pigment, combined with a very low amount of the darker eumelanin, produces the distinct golden glow that people interpret as orange.
Amber eyes are considered one of the rarest eye colors globally, with some estimates suggesting they occur in only about five percent of the world’s population. The color is thought to be the result of a specific genetic combination that favors the production and distribution of lipochrome in the iris stroma. The resulting solid, golden coloration is what gives the eye an appearance that is most frequently compared to the fossilized resin for which it is named.
External and Pathological Causes of Orange Appearance
While permanent, pigmented orange eyes do not occur naturally, several external and internal conditions can cause the eyes to temporarily appear orange or intensely yellow. One common pathological cause is scleral icterus, the yellowing of the sclera, or the white part of the eye. This yellowing is a symptom of jaundice, caused by a buildup of bilirubin, a yellowish-orange waste product from the breakdown of red blood cells.
When the liver is unable to properly process or excretes bilirubin, the compound accumulates in tissues throughout the body, including the eyes, giving them an orange-yellow cast. A second temporary cause is carotenemia, a condition resulting from the excessive intake of beta-carotene-rich foods like carrots, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes. This excess pigment can tint the skin and the conjunctiva—the thin membrane covering the sclera—a noticeable yellow or orange color.
Even a common subconjunctival hemorrhage, a burst blood vessel in the eye, can cause a temporary orange appearance as it heals. The initial bright red blood slowly breaks down, and subsequent blood reabsorption can turn the affected area a healing yellow-orange color before it fully resolves. Furthermore, specific environmental lighting, such as intense stage lights or the warm glow of a sunset, can reflect off light-colored irises, particularly hazel or amber eyes, creating a photographic illusion of a deep orange hue.