What was Up with David Bowie's Left Eye? | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

David Bowie's eyes appeared to have different colors, but they were actually both light blue due to a condition called anisocoria.

Key Insights

• 😃 David Bowie had anisocoria, a condition where the pupils are unequally dilated, making his eyes appear different colors.
• 💁 An estimated 20% of people have some form of anisocoria, but it is usually not as pronounced as Bowie's case.
• 😃 Bowie's anisocoria was caused by a childhood injury during a fistfight, which damaged the muscle in his left eye.
• 📸 Bowie's eyes appeared different in photos due to high contrast, flash, and lighting effects.
• 😩 Rumors that Bowie had heterochromia or wore different colored contact lenses were false.
• 🤩 Bowie embraced his eye condition, as it added to his image and mystique as a rock star.
• ❓ Bowie forgave his friend who caused the injury and they remained lifelong friends.

Transcript

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Questions & Answers

Q: What is anisocoria?

Anisocoria is a condition where the pupils of the eyes are unevenly dilated, causing one eye to appear larger or smaller than the other. It can be caused by various factors, including injury or underlying medical conditions.

Q: Did David Bowie's eyes actually have different colors?

No, both of David Bowie's eyes were light blue. The difference in appearance was due to the dilation of his pupils caused by anisocoria.

Q: How did David Bowie's eye injury occur?

Bowie's eye injury happened during a fistfight with a friend named George Underwood over a girl they both had a crush on. Underwood accidentally scratched Bowie's eye with his fingernail, damaging the muscle responsible for contracting the iris.

Q: Did David Bowie's eyes affect his career?

Bowie claimed that his eye injury, which gave the illusion of different eye colors, actually benefited his career. His unique appearance added to his mystique as a rock star and became an iconic part of his image.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• David Bowie had anisocoria, a condition where the pupils are unequally dilated, causing his eyes to appear different colors.

• An estimated 20% of people have anisocoria, but it is usually harmless.

• Bowie's anisocoria was a result of a fistfight in his youth that damaged the muscle in his left eye.