Why do the iris parts of our eyes lighten as we get older?

I've heard that it's normal for your eye color to lighten with age. Is that true? I was born with black (yes, totally black) eye color. Now I'm in my 30's and they've changed to light caramel color. What could cause this if age isn't the culprit? Is it a sign of something serious?



I recently went to the eye doctor just to get a new glasses prescription. I forgot to ask about the color change but he didn't say anything looked strange.

Why do the iris parts of our eyes lighten as we get older?
It is loss of pigmentation, just like going grey in your hair. Not a big deal. Just the way life is.
Reply:The color of one's eyes changes as they age. Generally they become lighter in colour but they can darken as well.



However, eye disease can also cause color changes. If the doctor did not say anything, then the change in your eye color is most likely due to aging.



When I was a baby, my eye color was listed as dark brown/black in my passport. Now my eyes are brown. I am in my early 40s.