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Discoloration of the sclera: causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Focal color change of sclera (focal discoloration)
It can be caused by the following reasons.
- The age-old transparency of the sclera is the disgraced dark gray areas.
- Alkaponuria can cause a brown-black color (ochronosis) in the attachment of horizontal rectus muscles and pigmentation of the auricles.
- Hemochromotosis causes a rusty-brown color.
- Systemic use of minocycline causes a gray-blue staining of the paralimbal area, usually more intense between the eyelids, possibly due to photosensitizing properties of the drug. This can be combined with pigmentation of the skin, teeth, nails, mucous membranes, thyroid gland and bones.
- A long-lived metallic foreign body can cause rusty staining
Diffuse color change of sclera (diffuse discoloration)
- Yellow staining of the sclera is caused by jaundice.
- The blue color of the sclera is caused by the thinning and transparency of the scleral collagen and the translucence of the underlying choroid.
- Essential cases are incomplete osteogenesis of 1-2 types, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (usually type 6), elastic pseudocanthom (dominant type 2) and Turner syndrome.
Maybe the acquired color change of the sclera - blackish, dirty-gray-bluish spots (yellow sclera) - with the intake of certain medicinal substances, preparations of silver, the use of cosmetics.
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