Sclera : Color Changes

Color Changes

The sclera is normally dull white like porcelain. Altered color suggests one of the following changes:

❖ Conjunctival and/or ciliary injection and inflammation will give the scleraa red appearance.

❖ A sclera that is very thin will appear blue because of the underlying choroid (this occurs in the newborn, in osteogenesis imperfecta, and fol-lowing inflammation; see Fig. 6.4).

❖Injaundice, the sclera turns yellow.

❖Inochronosis (alkaptonuria), the sclera will take on brownish color. This should be distinguished from pigmented changes in the conjunctiva.