Corneal arcus

What it means

A hazy, grayish-white ring about 2 mm in width located close to but separated from the limbus (the corneoscleral junction). Corneal arcus generally occurs bilaterally, and is related to lipid deposition in the cornea. Corneal arcus can occur in elderly persons as a part of the aging process but may be associated with hypercholesterolemia in people under the age of 50 years.

A gray opaque line which surrounds the margin of the cornea caused by lipid deposits.

Rare diseases that can present with this2

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Anterior embryotoxon · Arcus juvenilis · Arcus lipoidis · Arcus senilis · Corneal annulus · Gerontoxon