[The diagnostic value of corneal arcus as symptom of hyperlipoproteinemia (author's transl)].
In the normal population a physiologic arcus senilis develops in the 6th and the following decades. Hyperlipoproteinemia (type II a  and type II b) however may be the cause of an earlier onset of a corneal arcus. 63 patients with hyperlipoproteinemia type II a and type II b were examined with slit-lamp. In more than 75% of these patients corneal arcus were found already in the 5th decade. Normal population of the same age in contrast shows an arcus corneae only in 25%. Prospective examinations of the Western Collaborative Group found out, that men, 39-49 years old, had with corneal arcus a significantly higher incidence of coronary heart disease, compared with those without arcus. The average annual incidence of symptomatic myocardial infarction was 6.8 per 1000 with arcus as compared to 3.2 per 1000 without. In the 6th decade however there was no more any difference between subjects with arcus and those without arcus. These results, together with the findings of our study, show that one ought to examine the blood-lipids, if by chance of the first refraction a fully developed arcus corneae is found.
D000328:Adult; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005132:Eye Manifestations; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL
Der diagnostische Wert des Arcus corneae als Hinweis auf Lipoidstoffwechselstörungen.