Writing Tips

Common Genetics: Eyes

Well, here's part two of this genetic series!

Eyes are another thing people have to consider, especially since people overuse green eyes way too much.

I get it, you don't want to use the other four eye color categories, but they should be used (one actually shouldn't though lol Only sparingly). I am a green-eyed person myself, but it's the second rarest color category out of all five eye color categories.

Now, maybe I should list the five categories. They'll go from most recessive to most dominant (from what I was taught in biology).

1. Albino (Reds and violets)
2. Green
3. Gray
4. Blue
5. Brown

Overall, brown eyes are the most common eye color on the entire planet. My mom has them, my grandma does, my best guy friend does, and many other people I've met have brown eyes too (more in the south though. I'm in a very white/German area of my state lol).

The second most common color is blue. Which is the color I see most. Blue also can sometimes dominate brown genetics, but I don't remember exactly why they do.

Other than that, the others are pretty rare to acquire.

And to put this out there clearly, Albinos are so damn rare. Do not make your character one unless there's some darn good reason for it.

I'll say that having albino hair is a good reason, but even then, the character better be extremely pale. Albinos are the whitest and rarest creatures of any species in existence or extinction.

Just... Never use albino eyes, ever. They're a very touchy choice in character genetics.

Now, like last time, I'll do symbols and which are dominant over others.

Albino: a (always recessive)
Green: g (dominant over a only)
Gray: r (dominant over a & g)
Blue: b (dominant over a, g, & r)
Brown: w (dominant over a, g, r, & sometimes b)
Dark Brown: d (dominant over all)

EDIT: I do want to note sometimes blue is dominant over brown. I believe because there is a form of recessive brown that's dominant over all eye colors except blue. If using this in a punnet square, just keep the "w" lowercase so you know that it can be conquered by blue.

Hopefully this chart helps in determining what eye colors your character, their siblings, and parents (possibly grandparents too) will have.

Hope this was useful! ☺