Why the White Ring Around Your Iris?

Is a white ring around the iris something to worry about? Here’s what you should know..

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction: White ring around the iris

0:25 What causes a white ring around the iris?

0:50 Is a white ring around the iris dangerous?

2:00 Share your success story!

Let’s talk about this white ring that you sometimes see around someone’s iris. Is it dangerous? You’ll probably notice this more in older people. In fact, this happens to the majority of people over the age of 80.

This white ring around the iris is called arcus senilis. It’s nothing to worry about. It’s actually a cholesterol ring. When you get older, your ability to oxidize cholesterol decreases, and it can accumulate in certain parts of the body.

But, it doesn’t mean your arteries are getting clogged. It just means that you’re not fully oxidizing or burning some of the cholesterol, and it’s backing up in certain tissues.

If you see this in someone who is younger than 40 years old, then it’s something a little bit different. It could mean that you have a problem with lipids and cholesterol, especially LDL. These people are often on a high-carb diet, and the carbs are being turned into LDL (bad cholesterol).

For the most part, if you’re over 80 and you notice this white ring, I wouldn’t worry about it, and I wouldn’t lower my cholesterol or eat low cholesterol foods. But, I would get on a low-carb diet to help keep my cholesterol profile in check.