What are the milky white substances around the eye?

[Alx3]

My mom recently went to a doctor to have her eyes checked out, because of a milky white substance that appeared in her eye just outside the cornea. The doctor said it was cholesterol in her eyes. She doesn't have high cholesterol or any other health problems. Is this diagnosis correct? And if it is, what are the treatments for it?

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

No none of us get any younger and for most people its a sign of aging not  high cholesterol.  I the person is say age 40-60 and the cholesterol is high by controling it with diet, exercise, weight reduction and statins it may stop getting bigger.

JC MD

[Kooliehoolie]

Can it ever be reversed once cholesterol is reduced?

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

Its called corneal arcus. It is cholesterol. It often is associated with high blood levels of cholesterol but can also be an aging change in the eye. There is no treatment for it and it doesnot ever affect vision.

JCH MD