Grey/black around top part of iris...

Okay, I am 20 years old and have dark brown eyes. This morning I noticed that my left eye was hurting, like under the upper lid. Mostly noticed it when I would rub my eye. The pain went a way after a bit though. I sleep with my hand under my face, so I just thought that maybe I had my eye crushed up against my hand while I was sleeping and that's why it was hurting. However, I decided to look at my eye in the mirror to see if it was red, etc. And I looked and noticed that just around the top part of my iris, there is a grey/black discoloration. It kind of looks like my iris(dark brown, but looks black) is fading outwards. Hope that makes sense. It's not around the whole iris just the top part/edge of it. It's also like that on my right eye as well. My vision is fine, it's not blurred and haven't noticed a sudden change. I am nearsighted with astigmatism. I work at home and am on the computer ALOT every day. And I haven't been wearing my contacts nor my glasses lately(I know, very stupid and bad of me). I'm really worried that I have some type of disease. There is no redness in my eyes, just the fading grey/black color that I mentioned earlier. I never noticed this before and I have looked at my eyes alot, so I don't think it's just a reflection from the mirror. I'm a hypochondriac so I'm extremely worried about this. And what makes it even worse is I don't have any health or eye insurance. So it's not so easy for me to just get up and go get it checked, will have to borrow some money to do that. Which is what I'm going to do. Anyone have any idea on what this could be? Please help.

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

There are several conditions that might cause your problem. Some are problems with the cornea, some with the conjunctiva and sclera and a rare few inside the eye.

You wear contact lens so you presumably have seen an optometrist or ophthalmologist in the past. Why not return to them to look at this area.

That's the best we can do in this forum. Some things just have to be looked at with proper instruments to make a diagnosis.

JCH III MD    Ophthalmology

[Trish2886]

Thank you for your response. I will be getting to the doctor within the next week. I just noticed that my vision has changed. Mostly when I open my eyes wide and look at words(computer, tv, or even a t-shirt) that it's like a glare/double vision on the letters. I'm thinking that I just may have some form of Keratitis. But obviously, I don't know. I'll have to see when I get my exam. Just hope it doesn't cost too much for whatever treatment I may need, cause I don't have the money for it now.

[Tinale]

Hi- I am a 49 year old woman, that has been having the same thing happening with my eyes. My eyes are normally dark brown and in the last couple of months I have noticed that I am getting a dark grey/almost black outter circle from the outter part of my brown eyes, it almost appears to me like I have rubbed my eye and the grey and the brown are not lined up, there is more at the top of my eye off too the side on each eye. I have also noticed that I have a circle of this around the outter part of my eye as well surrounding my brown eyes,. I have been under anesthesia 4 times this year and was wondering if that could have something to do with it, or could my eyes be telling me that there is something else wrong with me. I had my Rheumatologist look at it and she had no clue what to think. I'm alittle nervous about this. When I look at other peoples eyes I have yet to find one person that has this happening to there eyes. I do plan on going to the eye doctor but was wondering if you have heard of this before and could I possibly has some eye problem going or could this be something deeper..I do wear contacts and have also wondered if that could somehow develop this problem. Any suggestions or thoughts would be greatly appreciated as this is the first place that I have found anyone talking about the same thing.

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

The anesthesia has nothing to do with it. You are developing a corneal arcus. This is cholesterol being deposited in one layer of the cornea. Have a fasting lipid profile ordered by your personal physician. If the results are high it needs to be treated with diet, exercise and possibly statin medication. It is NOT vision threatening. In people 65 or older it represents an aging change in the eye like hair graying but in youger middle age people it can be a sign of high blood cholesterol.

JCH III MD

PS do a Google Image Search for Corneal arcus to see pictures of same.