Copper 'rings' inside man's eyes
A man's eyes held an important clue to diagnosing his rare disease. When the man, who lives in India, went to the doctor with abdominal swelling, an eye exam revealed golden-brown rings encircling his irises in both eyes. Doctors determined that these markings were Kayser–Fleischer rings, which are caused by a buildup of copper in the cornea, the eye's transparent outer covering, according to a report of the case, published Sept. 25 in The New England Journal of Medicine. Kayser–Fleischer rings are a sign of a rare condition called Wilson's disease, Live Science previously reported. People with Wilson's disease have a genetic mutation that prevents them from removing excess copper, which leads to a buildup of copper in the body — often in the liver, brain and eyes, according to the National Institutes of Health. The condition occurs in about 1 in every 30,000 people. The accumulation of copper in the body can lead to liver, kidney and neurological problems. In the man's case, he had developed cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver. The man received a medication known as a chelating agent, which removes copper from the body. He was also placed on a list for a liver transplant due to his serious liver damage, the report said.