A gray or white, bow-or arch-shaped ring that commonly appears at the edge of the clear outer covering (cornea) of the eye in people older than 50 years. Arcus senilis (which means “old man’s arch” in Latin) results from deposits of cholesterol and in people younger than 40 years can be a sign of high cholesterol levels in the blood.
A grayish line in the periphery of the cornea, concentric with the edge but separated from it by a clear zone. It begins above and below but may become a continuous ring. It consists of an infiltration of fatty material and is common in the elderly. When it occurs in younger people it may indicate abnormal fat metabolism, but there is great racial variation in its incidence. It never affects vision.
Opaque white ring about the periphery of the cornea, seen in aged persons; caused by the deposit of fat granules in the cornea or by hyaline degeneration.
A grey-white ring that appears near the outer edge of the cornea, which is the clear front portion of the eyeball, and overlays the iris, the colored part of the eye, is known as a corneal arcus.
Arcus senilis, a condition that arises due to the degeneration of fatty deposits in the cornea, typically develops slowly during adulthood. The characteristic ring-shaped appearance never extends to the central area of the cornea and does not impact eyesight. In some cases, the early onset of this condition may be linked to abnormally high levels of fats in the bloodstream.
The pale ring that becomes visible around the outer edge of the colored part of the eye as a person ages. This occurrence is attributed to the accumulation of cholesterol deposits.