White mark on Iris?

My mother has a thin white mark at the edge of her Iris (coloured part of the eye). It just randomly appeared about 2 weeks ago, and hasn't shrunk or gotten any bigger. I'm not sure whether it's a sign of high cholesterol or not, and i don't think it's cataracts because that effects the pupil..


Any ideas?

White mark on Iris?
If it all or most of the way around the edge of the iris then it its probably a corneal arcus, an extremely common condition which is almost never of concern and increases with age.





If it is just in one spot there are a few things it could be, but the most likely is the start of a pterygium, which is a lump of tissue that grows very gradually from the conjuctiva across the cornea, usually from the direction of the nose. This is due to UV exposure from the sun over many years, and is not a real problem unless it becomes too large. People often suddenly notice these and think they have suddenly appeared. If this is what it is she should wear sunglasses.





If it sounds like neither of these it would be worth an eye test, but it doesn't sound urgent.
Reply:It is a sign of high cholesterol. It is called Corneal Arcus and is something to be worried if your mother is under 50.