Also described as: partial heterochromia
A distinct wedge or patch of different colour within one iris, rather than a full ring (central heterochromia) or a fully different second eye (complete heterochromia).
base iris
Illustrative base-iris tone.
patch
Illustrative patch tone — sectoral heterochromia is defined by a localised patch, not an even mix.
The patch commonly reads as a distinctly different family (e.g. a green or amber patch within a brown iris) rather than a subtle shade shift.
Size, shape and position of the patch vary considerably between individuals.
Close, well-lit viewing shows the patch boundary most clearly.
Small or subtle patches are easily missed in ordinary photography.
See heterochromia.
Heterochromia is considered uncommon overall, but exactly how uncommon depends heavily on which patterns (complete, central, sectoral) a given study counts.
Reported prevalence for heterochromia depends heavily on study definition — whether subtle central/sectoral cases are counted alongside complete heterochromia substantially changes the figure. No single percentage is stated here for this reason.
Styling ideas below are optional and editorial — never rules, and never a claim that one colour choice is objectively correct for anyone.
No advertising is shown on this page — it discusses when a change in eye appearance can warrant professional assessment, and Colourwise never places an ad beside that guidance.
Confidence: low. Geographic scope: Reported worldwide; no dedicated separate prevalence study distinct from heterochromia generally was identified for this content.