Yellow deposits can form around your eyelids as a side effect of having high levels of lipids in your blood. The medical term for these deposits is xanthelasma. These yellow spots may not be harmful initially, but they can gradually worsen and cause pain. They may also be a sign of a more serious underlying health problem.
Keep reading to learn about what causes this condition and available treatment options.
Symptoms of xanthelasma
Xanthelasma are yellowish-white lumps of fatty material accumulated under the skin on the inner parts of your upper and lower eyelids. The plaques contain lipids, or fats, including cholesterol, and usually appear symmetrically between your eyes and nose.
These lesions and plaques don’t impair the function of your eyelids. That means they shouldn’t affect your ability to blink, or open or close your eyes. They can gradually become larger over time and cause discomfort. Usually they don’t need to be removed unless they become uncomfortable or for cosmetic reasons.
Causes of xanthelasma
Anyone may get cholesterol deposits around their eyes. But this condition is most common in people with a lipid disorder called dyslipidemia. People with this disorder have too many lipids in their bloodstream, such as triglycerides and certain forms of cholesterol.
You may have dyslipidemia if you have any of the following conditions:
- hypercholesterolemia, identified by total cholesterol greater than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL)
- hypertriglyceridemia, identified by triglycerides above 150 mg/dL
- high levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as bad cholesterol, identified by LDL above 100 mg/dL
- high levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as good cholesterol, identified by HDL above 40 mg/dL
There are various factors that can cause you to have too many lipids in your bloodstream, and in turn develop xanthelasma around your eye. Some causes are genetic, meaning you can’t do much to prevent them. Other causes are the result of lifestyle choices or side effects of some medications.
Genetic causes may include:
- deficiency of familial lipoprotein lipase, the enzyme that breaks down lipids
- familial hypertriglyceridemia, a genetic condition that causes people to have higher amounts of triglycerides in their blood
- familial dyslipoproteinemia, a genetic condition that causes people to have higher amounts of lipids in their blood
Lifestyle factors may include:
- diets high in saturated fats and low in unsaturated fats
- excess alcohol consumption
- lack of cardiovascular exercise
- weight gain
- a diet low in fiber
- smoking
Medications that may increase your risk for developing cholesterol deposits around your eye include:
- beta-blockers
- oral contraceptives
- estrogen-containing medications
- corticosteroids
- retinoids
- thiazide diuretics
- protease inhibitors
- anabolic steroids
- antiepileptic drugs
Some conditions such as kidney disease, hypothyroidism, and diabetes mellitus can also contribute to the development of cholesterol deposits. That’s because these conditions can increase lipid concentration in your blood. Sometimes the cause of dyslipidemia is unknown.
Your doctor will want to know when you first noticed the yellow spots and whether they’ve changed since you noticed them. They may be able to make a diagnosis from a visual exam because xanthelasma have a distinctive appearance.
Your doctor may also want to know if you have a medical history for dyslipidemia. They may look for risk factors of the condition such as diet and genetics. They may also do a blood panel test to determine your lipid levels. A blood panel test measures your HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglyceride, and apolipoprotein B100 levels. The results from this test can help your doctor to determine if your xanthelasma are caused by elevated lipoprotein levels.
