How Do You Spell HETEROCHROMIA?

Pronunciation: [hˌɛtɹə͡ʊkɹˈə͡ʊmi͡ə] (IPA)

Heterochromia is a medical condition in which an individual has different colored eyes. The word is spelled phonetically as "het-er-o-kroh-mee-uh" [ˌhɛtəroʊˈkroʊmiə], with most emphasis placed on the second syllable. The word is made up of the Greek roots "hetero" meaning different, "chrom" meaning color, and "ia" meaning condition. It can be congenital or acquired and can occur in humans as well as animals. Heterochromia is not typically a harmful condition, although it can sometimes be a sign of an underlying medical problem.

Meaning and Definition
Common Misspellings
Etymology
Basic Check Advanced Check

HETEROCHROMIA Meaning and Definition

  1. Heterochromia is a medical term that refers to a condition characterized by a variation in the coloration of the iris, the colored part of the eye. Specifically, heterochromia is the presence of two different colored irises in either one eye (known as sectoral heterochromia) or in each eye (called complete heterochromia).

    In sectoral heterochromia, a portion of the iris displays a different color from the rest of the iris, creating a striking contrast within the eye. This condition is usually a result of a variation in the concentration and distribution of melanin, the pigment responsible for eye color, in the iris.

    Complete heterochromia, on the other hand, occurs when the irises of each eye have different colors altogether. This can manifest as a person having one brown eye and one blue eye, for instance. In this case, the disparity in eye color is typically due to an unequal amount of melanin production in each iris.

    Heterochromia can be either congenital, present since birth, or acquired, occurring later in life due to injury or disease. While it is not typically associated with any significant vision impairments or other health complications, it can often be aesthetically striking and may cause certain eye-related conditions such as sensitivity to light or increased nearsightedness. However, these symptoms are generally mild and can be managed with appropriate eyewear or other treatments.

  2. A difference in coloration in two structures or two parts of the same structure which are normally alike in color.

    A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for HETEROCHROMIA

Etymology of HETEROCHROMIA

The word "heterochromia" is derived from the Ancient Greek words "heteros" meaning "different" and "chroma" meaning "color". So, the literal translation of "heterochromia" is "different color". This term is used to describe a condition where the irises of a person's eyes have different colors.