It's important that there isn't a gene that controls the eye colour.
Eye colour is modulated by several genes which haven't necessarily been identified - I understand this to be an open question.
I can give an example, though:
Eye colour is a function of what pigments are present in the iris, the most relevant pigment (in humans) being melanin, which also contributes to dark skin and tanning.
So, melanin is produced via the biochemical pathway 'melanogenesis'.
Among other things, the process of melanogenesis requires the enzyme tyrosinase, a protein which has a decent length wikipedia page.
If you are missing the TYR gene which codes for the protein tyrosinase, then you will likely be albino. This won't only affect your eyes, then.
I say you will 'likely' be albino only because it's hypothetically possible that a lack of tyrosinase could be compensated for with another biochemical pathway. And, of course, albinism could come about by some other break in melanin production.
Eye colour is modulated by several genes which haven't necessarily been identified - I understand this to be an open question.
I can give an example, though:
Eye colour is a function of what pigments are present in the iris, the most relevant pigment (in humans) being melanin, which also contributes to dark skin and tanning.
So, melanin is produced via the biochemical pathway 'melanogenesis'.
Among other things, the process of melanogenesis requires the enzyme tyrosinase, a protein which has a decent length wikipedia page.
If you are missing the TYR gene which codes for the protein tyrosinase, then you will likely be albino. This won't only affect your eyes, then.
I say you will 'likely' be albino only because it's hypothetically possible that a lack of tyrosinase could be compensated for with another biochemical pathway. And, of course, albinism could come about by some other break in melanin production.