Blue ring around irises of the eye

[PM1228]

I have always had brown eyes with no other colors mixed in.  Lately I have noticed, and others have also told me, that I have bluish rings around both irises of my brown eyes.  Could this be a sign of naturally aging eyes (I am a 62 yr old female) or can it be a symptom of something more serious?

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Yes, add rings to the list of things that indicate aging such as gray hair, larger waistlines and reading glasses. It's called an "arcus" of the cornea. It sometimes is associated with high blood cholesterol (its actually clolesterol deposited at the level of the end of Bowman's membrane of the cornea).   It is not any sort of a visual problem and is not deposited in the part of the cornea you actually see through.

If you have not had a lipid profile of your blood drawn after an 8-14 hour fast, you should do so.

JCH III MD Eye Physician &  Surgeon

[sjagesar]

A related discussion, eyes was started.

[Sadleh]

A related discussion, blue ring around iris was started.

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

Please read the above answer dated 8/05/07 to PM 1228. It is exactly your problem.

JCH III MD

[Kingsford Koomson]

I went to see an optician to change my glasses. After examination of the eye he said to me there is a bluish ring around your pupil. Its an indication of cholestrol. Go and see a doctor.

Please could you throw light on this as I am scared.

Thank you

Kingsford Koomson
[phone]
UK