What is wrong with my mother's eye?

Q: My mother is 60 years old and I recently noticed some whiteness around the circumference of her pupil. What is wrong with her eyes?

A:Your mother is suffering from a condition called Arcus senilis. It a white ring at the periphery of the cornea occurring in older adults. It is caused by cholesterol (lipid) deposition in the periphery of cornea. If present in younger person, then blood lipids (cholesterol) has to be checked and can be a warning sign of stroke and ischaemic heart disease.