Eyes Glow in Different Colors

Eyes Glow in Different Colors

Eyes Glow in Different Colors, I have mentioned that it is really cold here, so I have a lot of time on my hands. This allows you to see how my thought pattern works in the mornings. I was taking photos of my dogs this morning with the flash on and that is when I noticed thy have different color glowing eyes. So I had to look up why.

Eyes that glow in the pitch-black night make for many a scary tale. But the glowing eyes is what makes them see better at night. That light-reflecting surface, is called tapetum lucidum.

Eyes Glow in Different Colors

When light enters the eye, it’s supposed to hit a photoreceptor that transmits the information to the brain. But sometimes the light doesn’t hit the photoreceptor, so the tapetum lucidum acts as a mirror to bounce it back for a second chance.

Eyes Glow in Different Colors

And not all eyes animals’ glow the same color. There are varying amounts of pigment within the retina, and that can affect the color, along with age.

Now it did say cats eyes glow also, I took a lot of photos of my cat with the flash on and I could not get the glow to come out. Juts the look of disdain and stop flashing my eyes, look from her.

Eyes Glow in Different Colors

Most animals that have a tapetum lucidum in their eyes are mammals, nocturnal animals.

Eyes Glow in Different Colors

Some species of birds – such as owls – have eyes that appear to glow.

Eyes Glow in Different Colors

But birds do not have a tapetum lucidum layer in their eyes. But their eyes are beautiful just the same.

Eyes Glow in Different Colors

by Sandra J


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46 Replies to “Eyes Glow in Different Colors”

  1. Very interesting Sandra – I often come home with squirrel eyes that glow red or gold and there is one spot in the Park, in the Summer in a very leafy tree, that I can guarantee that a squirrel perched inside the tree will have gold eyes.

  2. Absolutely fascinating Sandra and I always appreciate learning something new. I love how your cat has a “twinkle” in her eye to go along with her look of disdain.

    1. Thank you Beth, yes cats are so different from dogs. Loving one minute , and scratch you the next. But I love her anyway.😊

  3. Fascinating explanation, so thank you. I’ve seen stories about people who noticed someone’s eye not reflecting properly and were subsequently diagnosed with something serious. The keen observer saved their life. Amazing.

  4. You’ve probably never wondered, but alligator eyes glow golden in the dark… Very eerie, when one is anchored in the tropics, then look around to see many pairs of golden eyes staring at one’s boat!

    1. I did not know that and I can imagine that must look like something out of this world. I think that would freak me out a bit. 🙂

  5. Interesting post about animal eyes and the way they are build. We all know the eye reflections that occur when taking pictures. Now we know why 🙂

  6. Very informative Sandra. Thank you. The miracle of eyes and sight never ceases to amaze.

    “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.” [Matthew 13:16]

    1. It is so amazing RJ when you really think about how eyes, or anything else actually works. From the greatest designer, amazing doesn’t even come close to really describing us. 🙂

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