gerontotoxon

arcus

 [ahr´kus] (pl. ar´cus) (L.)

arch; bow.

arcus adipo´sus arcus corneae.

arcus cor´neae (arcus cornea´lis) a white or gray opaque ring in the corneal margin; it may be present at birth or appear in childhood (see arcus juvenilis), but the condition is particularly common in those over 50 years old (see arcus senilis). It results from cholesterol deposits in or hyaline degeneration of the corneal stroma and may be associated with ocular defects or with familial hyperlipidemia.

arcus juveni´lis arcus corneae in young persons.

arcus seni´lis arcus corneae in the elderly. (See Atlas 4, Part E).

Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.