The Boy with the Sapphire Eyes - Facts Analysis

Story:

Check out this cutie from Zimbabwe. I am amazed that people think it is photo shopped. It says a lot about the climate we live in today.

The photographer, Vanessa Bristow, categorically denies that is not and I believe her. Vanessa Williams anyone? I have friends and relatives with blue eyes who are black. What folks forget is that the continent of Africa is the birth place of humanity and is the most genetically diverse place in the world.

Other Versions

1. The Boy with the Sapphire Eyes | Safari Interactive Magazine Blog. beautiful!!!! photo isn’t enhanced at all

2. “Theuns” – the Boy with Sapphire Eyes. Taken in SW Zimbabwe, Maramani Communal Area March 2010 by Vanessa Bristow (Sentinel Limpopo Safaris).

Analysis:

The messages show a picture of an African boy having Sapphire colored eyes, claiming that it is a genuine photograph which says a lot about the climate we live in today. It is a fact, the picture of boy with Sapphire eyes is genuine.

Picture of The Boy with the Sapphire Eyes — The Boy with the Sapphire Eyes

The photograph was first showcased in African Safari Readers’ Gallery, where it got plenty of views and comments questioning the authenticity of the picture as many believed it was photoshopped. The photographer owner of the picture, Vanessa Bristow later replied that the photograph of boy with Sapphire eyes, taken by her was completely genuine and also found out the reason behind the unusual eyes through an ophthalmologist friend of her who explained saying:

“The picture of the little boy with the blue eyes and dark skin probably represents Ocular Albinism or Nettleship-Falls albinism, or Juvenile uveitis. Both conditions cause the pigment of the iris to be less dense.”

Ocular albinism is congenital disorder of the eyes, characterized by complete or partial absence of the eye pigment, Nettleship-Falls albinism being the most common type of it. Juvenile Uveitis is Uveitis in young people, which is inflammation of the interior or middle layer of the eye. The pictures below show couple of these cases.

Picture of Juvenile Uveitis — Juvenile Uveitis

The conclusion is that the picture of the African boy with the Sapphire eyes is genuine one, and yes, it kind of shows the complexity of climate we are living in today.