Can you get anime eyes cosmetically?
Anime eyes creators use oversized eyes to make characters look more expressive, youthful, and emotional. This style dates back to Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy’s creator), who was inspired by Disney characters like Bambi. The bigger the eyes, the easier it is to convey deep emotions—happiness, sadness, excitement, or even that classic anime glare!
But in reality? Our eyes are only about 24mm in diameter—much smaller than what we see in anime. While some people naturally have larger eyes, we’re just not biologically built for Sailor Moon-level eye proportions.
Can I naturally have anime character eyes?
Some people are blessed with naturally large, round eyes, but if your eyes look too big, it might not be a good thing.
Certain medical conditions can make the eyes appear larger than usual. So, while naturally big eyes exist, they’re nothing like the fantasy-sized ones we see in anime.
Contact lenses
If you’ve ever scrolled through Instagram or TikTok, you’ve probably seen people wearing contact lenses—contact lenses that enlarge the iris, making the eyes look cartoonishly huge.
They’re a go-to for cosplayers who want to mimic anime eyes, but they come with risks:
- Lack of oxygen to the cornea (your eyes need to breathe!).
- Higher risk of eye infections if not cleaned properly.
- Discomfort and dryness, especially if worn for long periods.
So, while they can give you that anime look for a cosplay event, wearing them every day? Not a great idea.
Heterochromia: the real life “anime eyes” condition
Ever seen a character with two different-colored eyes and thought, Whoa, is that real? It actually is!
Heterochromia is a condition where someone has:
- Complete heterochromia (one eye a totally different color than the other—like Ciel Phantomhive from Black Butler).
- Sectoral heterochromia (a splash of a different color in one iris).
- Central heterochromia (a ring of a different color around the pupil).
It’s rare, but it does happen naturally! Celebrities like Mila Kunis and Kate Bosworth have it.
Can your eye color change like in anime?
In anime, eyes seem to change color based on emotions, magic, or sheer dramatic effect (think Naruto’s Sharingan suddenly activating!). In real life? Not so much.
However, eye color can sometimes appear different due to:
- Lighting (your brown eyes might look lighter in sunlight).
- Mood (pupil dilation can slightly alter eye appearance).
- Medical conditions (certain diseases can cause color shifts over time).
Red eyes in anime vs. real life
Red eyes scream mystery and power in anime (looking at you, Kaname Kuran from Vampire Knight!). But can humans naturally have red irises?
Not really—unless they have albinism, a genetic condition where the lack of melanin makes the iris appear red due to light reflecting off blood vessels. Otherwise, the only time your eyes will glow red is in flash photography!
Purple and golden eyes: do they exist?
Anime loves throwing in exotic eye colors—purple (Hitagi Senjougahara – Monogatari), gold (Gilgamesh – Fate), and even silver!
In reality, some extremely rare conditions can make eyes look unusual:
- Albinism + light reflection can create a violet hue.
- Wilson’s Disease can cause golden or copper-colored rings in the iris.
- Central heterochromia can mix shades, creating a striking effect.
So, while you probably won’t be born with golden anime eyes, nature sometimes throws in a surprise!
Can eye surgery or implants give you anime eyes?
Some people go to extreme lengths for anime-like eyes, including:
- Limbal Ring Tattoos (darkening the iris outline).
- Cosmetic Eye Implants (permanently changing eye color).
- Corneal Tattooing (altering the iris, but risky).
While these procedures exist, they’re often dangerous and can lead to permanent vision loss. Beauty is never worth risking your eyesight!
Are anime-style eyes really more attractive?
There’s a reason we find such eyes very appealing—they resemble youth and innocence, which humans naturally find attractive. Plus, a dark limbal ring (the border around the iris) is a sign of good health, which is why people are drawn to it.
But in the end, every eye shape and color is beautiful in its own way.
The magic of anime eyes vs. real-life beauty
While anime eyes are stunning, they’re just fantasy. Some real-life eye conditions, like heterochromia, create unique eye appearances, but no one can naturally have glowing or oversized irises.
Instead of chasing an impossible aesthetic, let’s appreciate the natural beauty of our own eyes—and, of course, keep them healthy while binge-watching our favorite anime!
Founder of EyesMatterMost- an optometry student who loves talking about eyes. I tend to cover topics related to optometry, ophthalmology, eye health, eyecare, eye cosmetics and everything in between. This website is a medium to educate my readers everything related to eyes.
