What Causes the Sclera to Appear Blue?
Disease description:
Today, while looking in the mirror, I noticed that the whites of my eyes appear slightly bluish. What causes the sclera (the white part of the eye) to appear blue?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Cui Xin
Bluish discoloration of the sclera (the “white of the eye”) is initially suggestive of iron deficiency. Iron is an essential element for collagen synthesis in the sclera; thus, severe iron deficiency impairs normal collagen formation, potentially resulting in a bluish tint to the sclera. Early-stage oculodermal melanocytosis (scleral melanosis) should also be considered as a differential diagnosis. In this condition, grayish-blue pigmentation typically appears near the corneal limbus, causing the sclera to appear bluish.
