High Cholesterol signs: These signs in eyes can tell if you have hypercholesterolaemia

High cholesterol or hypercholesterolaemia is not unknown to us. It is needless to talk about the havoc this condition wreaks on the human body. Hypercholesterolaemia is the presence of an excess of cholesterol in the bloodstream limiting blood flow and increasing heart attack risk or heart stroke.

Hypercholesterolaemia is also known as lipid disorder or hyperlipidemia.

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Unfortunately, a disturbance in the lipid profile doesn't have any visible symptoms except a few generic warning signs which are not distinct to the condition. The common warning signs of high cholesterol are nausea, numbness, fatigue, high blood pressure, shortness of breath, chest pain or angina.

These symptoms are also associated with other medical complications because of which people are not aware of the high cholesterol condition until its late.

As per reports, due to high cholesterol certain changes are visible in the eyes. Though these symptoms are not specific to high cholesterol but these can guide one to visit a doctor and take timely medical assistance.

Xanthelasmas are the whitish or yellowish plaques that occur on the outer surface of the upper eyelid. Though this condition is also linked with other medical conditions, its association with hyperlipidemia is also commonly suggested. These are usually soft and semi solid.

Corneal Arcus is also another indicator of high cholesterol. This is a pale white ring around the iris of one's eye. Iris is the colored part of the eye. "If you’re under 50 years old and have corneal arcus, it's a strong sign that you have familial hypercholesterolaemia," experts say.

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There are more than 10 million cases of high cholesterol reported per year in India, on an average.

As per a 2017 research study, in India high cholesterol is present in 25–30% of urban and 15–20% rural subjects. This prevalence is lower than high-income countries. The most common dyslipidemia in India are borderline high low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high low density lipoprotein cholesterol and high triglycerides.

Cholesterol carries some vital functions in the human body. It is used to build the structure of cell membranes, for preparation of hormones like oestrogen, testosterone and adrenal hormones. Cholesterol also boosts the metabolism and it is also essential for the body to produce vitamin D. This fatty substance is produced by the liver. It also comes from food. Most of the cholesterol that comes to the human body is through foods that come from animals.

Cholesterol consists of low-density lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins and trigylcerides.

Low-density lipoproteins are called bad cholesterols and the high density lipoproteins are called good cholesterols. Triglycerides are the building blocks of cholesterol.

When the level of cholesterol crosses the ideal or threshold level, it becomes trouble for the human body.

Cholesterol less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL) in the human body is considered to be normal. Ideally the good cholesterol or the HDL cholesterol should be above 40 for men and 50 for women while the bad cholesterol or the LDL cholesterol should be less than 100. At normal range, the triglycerides should be less than 149 mg/dL.