Ophthalmologist Elena Barkevich has warned that yellow plaques on the eyelids can signal a high risk of cardiovascular disease and other serious health problems.
Speaking to broadcaster RT, Barkevich explained that the yellowish formations, known medically as xanthelasmas, typically develop on the upper eyelid close to the bridge of the nose.
Barkevich said that xanthelasmas can occur alongside familial hypercholesterolemia, an inherited condition that alters the normal processing of cholesterol. She noted that people affected by this genetic disorder face an increased chance of developing cardiovascular disease even if their blood cholesterol levels appear normal.
Familial hypercholesterolemia is an inherited metabolic disorder that impairs how the body clears low density lipoprotein, often called bad cholesterol, from the blood. The condition significantly elevates the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attacks, often decades earlier than in the general population.
Underlying causes of eyelid plaques
In addition to heart risks, Barkevich warned that the appearance of these plaques can stem from diabetes, liver diseases, and disorders of the thyroid gland. She explained that the bumps serve as an easily overlooked outward warning sign of deeper internal complications.
Conditions affecting the liver and the thyroid gland can disrupt how the body synthesises, clears, and balances fats in the bloodstream. Similarly, diabetes interferes with normal glucose regulation and fat metabolism, which can accelerate the accumulation of circulating lipids in soft tissues around the eyes.
Although xanthelasma deposits are medically benign and do not cause physical pain or directly harm sight, doctors view them as a valuable diagnostic marker. Because cardiovascular disease frequently develops without early symptoms, visible clues on the face can alert clinicians to metabolic disorders before major complications arise.
Medical advice and dangers of home removal
Barkevich advised anyone who notices xanthelasmas on their eyelids to visit a general practitioner and undergo diagnostic blood tests to check for underlying health issues. She also issued an explicit warning to patients never to attempt to cut off, cauterise, or squeeze out the plaques on their own.
Doctors routinely caution against self treatment of skin lesions on the face because eyelid tissue is exceptionally thin, delicate, and vascular. Attempting domestic removal with sharp tools or chemicals carries serious risks of bacterial infection, permanent scarring, and damage to the structural mechanisms that protect the eyeball.
The warning follows earlier remarks by ophthalmologist Anton Kazantsev regarding the physical impact of severe stress on visual health. Kazantsev cautioned that intense emotional shock can lead to functional blindness, a condition where vision is temporarily impaired without any structural injury to the eye itself.
Medical authorities classify functional blindness as a stress related reaction where the brain temporarily stops processing sight despite intact ocular nerves.
