A health expert has revealed a worrying change in your eyes that could indicate you are suffering from high cholesterol.
Dr Chris Steele appeared on ITV’s This Morning show to discuss a tell-tale sign that points to high cholesterol, especially in people under the age of 45.
High cholesterol is caused by a build-up of the fatty substance in your blood but often has no symptoms, particularly in the beginning.
It is one of the major risk factors for a heart attack or stroke, and while many people are being treated for their cholesterol levels, there are thousands of others who remain undiagnosed.
But an early warning symptom of high cholesterol can appear as a grey, blue or white half-circle around the edge of the cornea.
“It’s a condition called arcus senilis," Dr Steele said in a chat with the breakfast show hosts.
Pointing to a picture of a person's eye with arcus senilis he said: "On the outer edge of the coloured part of the eye, the coloured part of the eye the iris is brown but going around the outside is a white ring.
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"It's a white ring of cholesterol and lipid deposits under the cornea.
"This is more common as people get older and it's more common in men. But if this is present in someone under the age of 50 or 45, that would make me as a GP go and check their cholesterol.
"It's not a definite sign that you will have a raised cholesterol, however, if you see this in somebody under 40 they could have a very high cholesterol condition that is inherited, it's genetic."
Cholesterol is a fatty substance produced by the liver that brings many important health benefits, such as making hormones and building cell membranes. High cholesterol means you have too much of the "bad" cholesterol.
This is known as LDL cholesterol. It clings to the inside of arteries, thereby raising the risk of a blockage that can lead to a heart attack.
High cholesterol can also be caused by a lack of exercise, being overweight, smoking and drinking alcohol and it can also run in families.
