Can two light eyed people have a dark eyed child?

Question

I thought it was impossible. That the child would certainly have light eyes too, but recently I was informed by someone who read in a scholarly journal that it is possible.

Answer 1

Yes, they can. It is quite rare, but it does happen. There are actually 3 genes for eye color which work together.

Answer 2

Looking at this in a genetic point of view, the recessive gene for the light colored eye would have to be paired with another recessive gene for the same trait from the other parent organism or human. Use a Mendelian box (4 squared-box with all possible genetic combinations for a particular trait) with B and b to see that only bb combinations can allow for the light-eyed trait to be activated.

Bb has the recessive gene present, but the dominant B (dark eyed) gene would outweigh the other gene and the dark eyed trait would be expressed.

Answer 3

That depends on what color of light eyes. If you mean two blue eyed parents having a brown eyed child, either she's cheating or they adopted.

The genes for blue eyes are double recessive, so only parents with both genes for blue eyes should have blue eyes themselves. This being the case, they should have nothing else to give their kids but blue eyed genes.

If you mean some other color like hazel, green or grey, I can't tell you, I don't know the genetics for those colors. It's possible that one or the other of those is a hybrid combination, which might make it very possible for two light eyed (grey or hazel?) parents to have a dark eyed child.

Answer 4

In theory this is impossible since this trait is simple dominant-recessive and, in order to have light eyes, you must have both recessive alleles and cannot therefore pass on the allele for dark eyes to your children. However, there are environmental factors which could contribute to this, such as a tumour or some other facter which causes more pigment to be produced.

Answer 5

Someone with light eyes does not carry the trait for dark eyes. If they did, they would have not have light eyes. So, if they don't carry the trait in their genes, they cannot pass it on to a child. At least this is what I was taught in a genetics class.

Answer 6

I believe it is possible if someone in the family background ( Like Grandma and Grandpa) has dark eyes, it just may not be as likely.

I do know that lighter eyes are a recessive trait, so if one parent has brown eyes and one has blue, the children are MORE likely to have brown eyes.

Answer 7

Yes. Light eyes people also carry the genes for dark eyes.

Answer 8

Yes it is possible, but pretty rare. You both have to be carriers of the dark eyed gene, and the dark eyed gene would have to be selected.

Answer 9

yes if the child gets the recessive gene which is responsible for the dark eyes from both parents

Answer 10

It is absolutly possible, especially if you or your partners parents had dark eyes. Usually dark eyes are a dominant gene, so it could happen. If it does not run in either of your families don't count on it.