Research says that our eye colour could hold clues about our health. Surprised? Whether they’re hazel, brown, grey, blue, gray, or somewhere in between, the colour of your eyes could dictate your risk for certain diseases, and more surprisingly can predict how much your body can handle booze.

1. You are more likely to develop cataracts if you have dark eye colour.

According to a 2009 study released by the American Journal of Ophthalmology, people with dark eye colours have higher chances (1.5 to 2.5 times) of developing cataracts than those with light coloured eyes. This means that people with dark eyes should take extra care in protecting their peepers. Wearing sunglasses when it’s bright outside is always a good idea.

2. You have higher chances of having age-related macular degeneration if you have light eye colour.

Vision loss after 50 is an age-related macular degeneration (AMD). It’s one of the most common causes of eyesight loss in older people. Supporting studies have shown that being born with light eyes comes with an increased risk of AMD two times. Although the studies were small and there is still no causal link between the two, it may be more of an association.

3. Women with light coloured eyes have higher pain tolerance.

Last year, at the American Pain Society, a research that was presented women with light eyes (blue or green), have the ability to withstand pain and discomfort better. In the study, a group of 58 pregnant Caucasian women were put into a test and the subjects with light-coloured eyes were able to tolerate pain better during childbirth compared to light-coloured eyes women (brown or hazel). The results are preliminary and more support evidence is needed to pinpoint the cause behind the links. The author believes that a genetic component is responsible and it could help doctors identify a genetic cause of pain in the near future.

4. You have higher chances of developing melanoma if you have blue eyes.

Based on a 2014 study, suggests that people with blue eyes have higher risk for moles or freckling in childhood, which are often precursors to melanoma later in life. The study focuses on 477 children, aged 6 to 10, and concluded that children with blue eyes have greater risk to the development of moles compared to other children without the gene.

5. You have higher chances of having Type 1 diabetes if you have blue eyes.

In 2011, an Italian study highlights that blue-eyed people suffer a significantly high level of type 1 diabetes compared to their darker eyed counterparts. Three genes are believed to have caused this. The researchers found that 21 per cent of Type 1 diabetes sufferers in Lazio and Sardinia are people with blue eyes, compared with 9 percent of the population.

Do you believe that there could be links between eye colour and health? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.