The condition of having two different colored eyes is called heterochromia.

What heterochromia means

  • Heterochromia refers to a difference in eye color caused by variations in the pigment melanin in the iris.
  • It can be present from birth and is often harmless, though it can sometimes be linked to eye disease or injury, especially if it appears later in life.

Types of heterochromia

  • Complete heterochromia : each eye is a totally different color (for example, one blue, one brown).
  • Sectoral/segmental heterochromia : part of one iris is a different color than the rest, like a wedge or patch.
  • Central heterochromia : the color around the pupil is different from the outer part of the iris, often forming a ring.

Is it something to worry about?

  • When present from birth and not changing, heterochromia is usually just a unique, benign genetic feature.
  • If one eye suddenly changes color or the difference is new, eye doctors recommend an exam to rule out causes like inflammation, glaucoma, or other eye conditions.

In everyday language, if someone asks “what is it called when you have two different colored eyes,” the accurate medical term is heterochromia.

TL;DR: It’s called heterochromia , and most of the time it’s simply a rare, striking eye-color variation rather than a health problem.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.