What kind of eye disease is "senile ring"? What are the consequences of getting it and how to prevent it?

Corneal senile rings are lipid deposits in the stroma around the periphery of the cornea. It occurs in the elderly and develops in both eyes. The cloudiness is initially on the upper and lower cornea and gradually develops into a ring. The ring is white in color, usually about 1 mm wide, with a clear outer border and a slightly blurred inner border, separated from the corneal rim by a clear corneal band. The senile ring is usually a degenerative change with a genetic predisposition, but can sometimes be an ocular manifestation of hyperlipoproteinemia (especially LDL) or elevated serum cholesterol. Occasionally, it may be seen in young adults as a congenital anomaly, also known as "youthful ring," in which the lesion is often confined to a portion of the corneal limbus and does not form a ring.

Geriatric rings occur in elderly people with atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia, and occasionally in young or middle-aged people with hyperlipidemia. The ring is caused by the deposition of lipids in the blood to the cornea. The cornea itself has no blood vessels, and its nutrition comes from the network of blood vessels at the corneal limbus and the atrial fluid in the eye. When cholesterol, triacylglycerols and other lipids in the blood and aqueous humor are too high, they are deposited in the corneal tissue, forming a grayish-white ring at the edge of the cornea. A study conducted by medical experts at the University of Sydney, Australia, showed that 65% of people over the age of 49 had senile rings. Those with the rings were 60% more likely to have higher than normal total cholesterol levels, while those without the rings were 40% and 50% less likely to have hypercholesterolemia and hyperlipidemia, respectively. The researchers also found that almost all of those who developed senior rings had varying degrees of cerebral atherosclerosis. Therefore, experts believe that senile rings are a sign of hyperlipidemia and cerebral arteriosclerosis. Cerebral arteriosclerosis is a serious threat to the health of the elderly, which leads to cerebral thrombosis, cerebral hemorrhage, cerebral infarction and other cerebrovascular accidents, the incidence of cerebral vascular accident and mortality are quite high.

Prevention of elderly ring in daily life to do three-pronged approach.

One, do three checks. ① blood lipid examination, to prevent hyperlipidemia as a cause of morbidity; ② funduscopic examination, to find out whether there are symptoms of ophthalmic retinal central artery obstruction; ③ cerebral vascular ultrasound, to prevent cerebral atherosclerotic lesions.

Two, change the bad eating habits. Promote the consumption of fish, cereals, vegetables, fruits and dairy products, less greasy food.

Three, adjust the mentality, adhere to the exercise. Pay attention to psychological regulation, maintain optimism, adhere to walking, enhance immunity.