discoloration of sclera

[hiker99]

I have small grey colored cresent shaped discolorations or marks on both sides of the pupils of both eyes. The marks are in the white portion of the eyes, not close to the pupils.   They are not visible when looking straight ahead, one must move the pupils to either side to make these marks visible.  If this matters I am 70 years old. Is this something of concern, and, if so, what should be done?

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

this is not something that can be diagnosed over the internet. You will need to see an Eye MD ophthalmologist. If you live in the USA find one near you at www.aao.org  elsewhere ask your personal MD for a referral.

JCH MD

[squinee]

I'm a 35 year old Hispanic female and have discomfort in my left eye when in direct light also (more importantly) there is a greyish cloud on my cornea just in one small area. There is pinkish-redness on the white part of my adjacent to the little cloud. Please advise.

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

Jaundice makes the white part of eye (sclera) uniformly bright yellow.

Your problem is likely due to pigment in the clear layer of tissue over the sclera called the conjunctiva. Pigment that increases with time is normal in blacks (and other blacks have commented on it so you can find these with the search feature). There is really nothing that can be done about it. Surgical excision is fruitless and no medicine bleaches the pigment out.

JCH MD

[malcolmvo]

I am 37 years old black male. Over the last 10 years or so my eye sclera (white portion) has become more and more brownish colered. I went to an eye doctor for another matter and asked him about the condition. He told me it was just pigment and not to worry. That was about three years ago and it seems to have progressed. I use Visine regularly and sometimes it works, sometimes not. At nineteen, I found out I had a spell of Hepatitis B, which turned out to have passed from my mother. I understand it effects the liver which can jaundice the eyes. I am totally confused and woudl like to know what is happening to me, what to expect in the future, is there a cure, what can I do to get rid of this unsightly problem? If there is any help or advise, it would be greatly appreciated.

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

They are called sclera plauqes and are due to aging changes in the sclera where it become thinner and the blue choroid undernethe become visible.

JCH III MD