Definition of Heterochromia:

Heterochromia is the presence of different colored eyes in the same person.

Considerations:

Heterochromia is uncommon in humans, but quite common in dogs (such as Dalmatians and Australian sheep dogs), cats, and horses.

Common Causes:

Most cases of heterochromia are hereditary, caused by a disease or syndrome, or due to an injury. Sometimes one eye may change color following certain diseases or injuries.

Specific causes of eye color changes include:

• Bleeding (hemorrhage)
• Familial heterochromia
• Foreign object in the eye
• Glaucoma, or some medications used to treat it
• Injury
• Mild inflammation affecting only one eye
• Neurofibromatosis
• Waardenberg syndrome