BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / heterochromia - his eyes

**Posted by Ivy** November 20, 2014 6:37 pm

I didn't know he has heterochromia, I mean I was aware that is eye colour is different from photo to photo, green or blue, but I never really thought about. And I always thought heterochromia is when one eye is blue and the other brown, for example, but both of BCs eyes seem to change the colour. That's actually a specific kind of heterochromia where both eyes seem to change depending on the light.

You never stop learing. I have a medical interest, you have to know.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/11198162/13-things-you-didnt-know-about-Benedict-Cumberbatch-but-definitely-need-to.html

**Posted by tonnaree** November 20, 2014 8:22 pm

There was only one thing on that list I didn't know.

File under:
"How to tell if you're obsessed with BC................................."

**Posted by maryagrawatson** November 20, 2014 10:08 pm

Ivy wrote:
both of BCs eyes seem to change the colour. That's actually a specific kind of heterochromia where both eyes seem to change depending on the light.

I have the same kind of heterochromia and my eye colour, ranging from sapphire blue to steel grey and even green in the right circumstances, varies based on not only the light, but also what I'm wearing near my face.

I think that the episode that most dramatically demonstrates this type of heterochromia for Benedict is TSOT. Sherlock is usually lit with shadows. He's almost a vampire in that we rarely see a closeup of his face in bright natural light. During The Speech, he is flooded with sunlight and his eyes are super, super light green, almost unnatural! We flashback to scenes that aren't as well lit, for example the eyeball tea scene, and his eyes appear much darker.

What he wears also affects his eyes; they appear darker when he has a scarf on than when he's wearing the white buttoned up shirt and light tie in TSOT.

Mary

**Posted by Lola Red** November 27, 2014 10:09 pm

My eyes do the same thing (seemingly change colour), but I did not know there was a name for it. I just always thought I had strange eyes. Can't say I don't learn anything while browsing this forum.

It's really fun to see how clothing and lighting affect Benedict’s eye colour, one more excuse for another rewatch

**Posted by Lucas44** December 24, 2014 10:33 am

One of my close friends also has Heterochromia and doctor said that it’s a hereditary disorder; the color of his eyes is quite similar to Josh Henderson’s green eyes. Well I really love her eyes, but she is afraid about her children.

**Posted by tonnaree** December 24, 2014 12:35 pm

Benedict's eyes are made of magic.