The color of the Eyes

[Ruhlen Rachel]

Anthony Tomlinson (dalrymple at pplros.demon.co.uk) wrote:

: Did you see the other recent post asking about changes in eye colour with
: mood?
:  The post described a woman whose eyes change from hazel to blue in times
: of
:  pleasurable excitement (ahem..), and my eyes change from brownish hazel
: to
:  green, although I can't provide such a salacious correlation with
: mood.:-)
: Any ideas?  It has always puzzled me.

: Anthony

The bacteria _Serratia marcescens_ produces the enzyme responsible for its 
bright pink color only in its optimum temperature, otherwise the colonies 
appear white.  And Siamese cats have their distinctive coloring because the fur 
that is at cooler temperatures is brown.  The back, tip of tail, paws, and 
faces are cooler than the rest of their bodies.  When they get older, and their 
body temperature goes down, the brown starts to spread.  

I wondered if temperature is responsible for change in eye color.  Body 
temperatures do generally rise in times of great emotion and I have heard of 
other people whose eyes change similarly.  

Rachel