Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow It WorksSignsCausesOther SignsTreatmentFrequently Asked Questions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How It Works
Signs
Causes
Other Signs
Treatment
Frequently Asked Questions
Whilevitiligomainly impacts the skin, it can also affect other body parts wheremelanocytesare present, such as the inner ears or the eyes.
When vitiligo impacts the eyes, it can cause changes to vision, eye color, and eye health. Experts recommendroutine eye examsfor people with vitiligo to help monitor any issues.
This article provides an overview of how vitiligo can impact the eyes.
FG Trade / Getty Images
How Does Vitiligo Affect the Eyes?
Melanocytes are responsible for giving our skin, hair, and eyes their color, but they alsohave other functionsthroughout the body.
Here’s what could happen to the eyes during the vitiligo process:
Studies suggest that when vitiligo patches are located on the face, the eyes are more likely to be impacted.
Demographic factors such as age and gender don’t seem to be significant risk factors for vitiligo that affects the eyes.
Other Vitiligo ComplicationsVitiligo affectsmore than just the skin. Some people experience other medical and emotional or psychological complications, such as:Having at least one other autoimmune diseaseHearing changes (if vitiligo impacts the melanocytes located in the inner ear)Experiencing a mental health condition due to socialstigmalinked to visible skin patches
Other Vitiligo Complications
Vitiligo affectsmore than just the skin. Some people experience other medical and emotional or psychological complications, such as:Having at least one other autoimmune diseaseHearing changes (if vitiligo impacts the melanocytes located in the inner ear)Experiencing a mental health condition due to socialstigmalinked to visible skin patches
Vitiligo affectsmore than just the skin. Some people experience other medical and emotional or psychological complications, such as:
Tips for Building Self-Esteem When You Have Vitiligo
Eye Color
While it’s possible (but pretty rare) for your eye color to change subtly or gradually during adulthood, a sudden lightening of eye color is possibly due to a disease like vitiligo.This might look like a patchy lightening of one or both eyes to a grey or blue color.
Vision
It’s considered to be less common, but vitiligo that affects the retina could lead to slight vision changes, though likely not complete vision loss.
Much more research is needed on the way vision changes may progress with vitiligo, but experts still recommend routine eye exams as part of a vitiligo patient’s care plan.This may be particularly important if vitiligo patches appear on the face and near the eyes.
It’s also a good idea to receive vision screening, if accessible, before starting vitiligo treatment withphototherapyor topical steroids around the eyes. Some studies have noted that these treatments can have potential eye-related side effects.
Uveitis
If vitiligo causes damage to the uvea, it can lead touveitis, a condition that causes:
Studies show that uveitis seems to be one of the more commonly reported eye complications with vitiligo.There are several syndromes that include both uveitis and vitiligo in their presentation. It’s typically successfully treated with prescription steroids to reduce inflammation, but left untreated, uveitis can lead to additional eye issues, such as vision loss, scarring,glaucoma, orcataracts.
Signs of Vitiligo
The mainsign of vitiligois a loss of skin color in patches, which can develop differently for everyone. For example, the lightened patches of skin may:
How Common Is Vitiligo?It’s estimated that roughly 1% of the population has vitiligo. Data suggests this number may be even higher due to undiagnosed cases.While vitiligo might be more apparent in darker skin tones, vitiligo affectspeople of all ethnicitiesandskin types.
How Common Is Vitiligo?
It’s estimated that roughly 1% of the population has vitiligo. Data suggests this number may be even higher due to undiagnosed cases.While vitiligo might be more apparent in darker skin tones, vitiligo affectspeople of all ethnicitiesandskin types.
Vitiligo Causes
While the exactcause of vitiligois unknown, a combination of factors including genetics, autoimmunity,stress, skin damage, and chemical exposure likely contribute to vitiligo development.
Keys to Skin and Sun Care With Vitiligo
Other Symptoms of Vitiligo
Some people with vitiligo will only notice the loss of skin pigmentation, while others develop one or more of the additional signs of the disease, including:
The Stages of Vitiligo
Gettingtreatment for vitiligois a personal choice. There’s no cure for the condition, and treatment isn’t required unless it’s associated with another medical condition, such as vision changes or an autoimmune disease.
For people who do choose treatment, the goal is usually to reduce the appearance of the patches, particularly if they’re affecting a person’s quality of life. Options include:
Summary
Vitiligo develops when the immune system mistakenly attacks melanocytes, the cells that give our skin, hair, and eyes their color. While vitiligo’s main symptom is a patchy loss of skin coloring, this condition can also affect other parts of the body.
When vitiligo impacts the eyes, some people may experience slight changes to their eye color, vision, and eye health. Experts recommend monitoring this through regular visits to a healthcare provider who specializes in eye issues.
A Word From Verywell
Most health insurance plans don’t come withvision benefits, making eye care inaccessible or unaffordable for many. If your healthcare provider has recommended that you receive routine eye care for vitiligo and you need help accessing or paying for care, know there are options. Consider checking outEyeCare Americaor theNew Eyes program, which offer services like free or low-cost exams, prescription eyeglasses, or prescription eye medications to those who qualify.
In addition, groups like theGlobal Vitiligo Foundation, Vitiligo Support International, andMyVitiligoTeamcan help provide resources and support or refer you to a local organization, if necessary.
Learn MoreWhat Is the Most Common Eye Color?
It’s unlikely that vitiligo would cause blindness. Studies show that some people with vitiligo may experience small or moderate changes to their vision, though it doesn’t seem to be extremely common.Learn MoreCommon Causes of Vision Loss
It’s unlikely that vitiligo would cause blindness. Studies show that some people with vitiligo may experience small or moderate changes to their vision, though it doesn’t seem to be extremely common.
Learn MoreCommon Causes of Vision Loss
Vitiligo’s patchy loss of skin coloring can happen on any part of the body, including inside and around the eyes. Vitiligo patches that appear on the face (along with the hands and/or feet) is known as acrofacial vitiligo, which is pretty common.There’s no way to predict whether those with acrofacial vitiligo will develop a loss of color around the eyes.
29 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ahluwalia J, Correa-Selm LM, Rao BK.Vitiligo: not simply a skin disease.Skinmed. 2017;15(2):125-127.Sitiwin E, Madigan MC, Gratton E, et al.Shedding light on melanins within in situ human eye melanocytes using 2-photon microscopy profiling techniques.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):18585. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54871-yPrabha N, Chhabra N, Shrivastava AK, et al.Ocular abnormalities in vitiligo patients: a cross-sectional study.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2019;10(6):731-734. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_361_18Pai SG, Gupta A, Dudeja L, Nayak MK.Ocular manifestations of vitiligo: evaluation and study of any possible association.Online J Health Allied Sci. 2015;14(4):10.Karadag R, Esmer O, Karadag AS, et al.Evaluation of ocular findings in patients with vitiligo.Int J Dermatol.2016;55:351–355. doi:10.1111/ijd.13031Elbuluk N, Ezzedine K.Quality of life, burden of disease, comorbidities, and systemic effects in vitiligo patients.Dermatol Clin.2017;35(2):117-128. doi:10.1016/j.det.2016.11.002Harvard Medical School.Vitiligo: more than skin deep.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Why are my eyes changing color?Örnek N, Onaran Z, Koçak M, Örnek K.Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in vitiligo patients.J Res Med Sci. 2013;18(5):405–407.American Academy of Dermatology.Is vitiligo a medical condition?Kandaswamy S, Akhtar N, Ravindran S, Prabhu S, Shenoi SD.Phototherapy in vitiligo: assessing the compliance, response and patient’s perception about disease and treatment.Indian J Dermatol. 2013;58(4):325. doi:10.4103/0019-5154.113944Mehran G, Rohani Nasab M, Hanifnia AR, et al.Prevalence of ocular findings in patients with vitiligo.J Skin Stem Cell. 2014;1(1):e19045. doi:10.17795/jssc19045American Academy of Ophthalmology.Acute anterior uveitis.Yale Medicine.Uveitis.MedlinePlus.Vitiligo.Penn Medicine.Vitiligo.Gandhi K, Ezzedine K, Anastassopoulos KP, et al.Prevalence of vitiligo among adults in the United States.JAMA Dermatol. 2022;158(1):43-50. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.4724Vitiligo Society.What you need to know about vitiligo.Strassner JP, Harris JE.Understanding mechanisms of autoimmunity through translational research in vitiligo.Curr Opin Immunol.2016;43:81-11. doi:10.1016/j.coi.2016.09.008American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: who gets and causes.Manga P, Elbuluk N, Orlow SJ.Recent advances in understanding vitiligo.F1000Res. 2016;5(F1000 Faculty Rev):2234. doi:10.12688/f1000research.8976.1American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: diagnosis and treatment.American Academy of Family Physicians.Vitiligo.Baykal Selçuk L, Katkat E, Aksu Arıca D, Yaylı S, Bahadır S.Sun-protection habits and knowledge of patients with vitiligo.Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat. 2020;29(1):7-10. doi:10.15570/actaapa.2020.3American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: signs and symptoms.Vachiramon V, Onprasert W, Harnchoowong S, et al.Prevalence and clinical characteristics of itch in vitiligo and its clinical significance.BioMed Research International.2017;2017:1-8. doi:10.1155/2017/5617838Food and Drug Administration.Opzelura label.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Vitiligo.UMass Medical School.Patterns of vitiligo.
29 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Ahluwalia J, Correa-Selm LM, Rao BK.Vitiligo: not simply a skin disease.Skinmed. 2017;15(2):125-127.Sitiwin E, Madigan MC, Gratton E, et al.Shedding light on melanins within in situ human eye melanocytes using 2-photon microscopy profiling techniques.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):18585. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54871-yPrabha N, Chhabra N, Shrivastava AK, et al.Ocular abnormalities in vitiligo patients: a cross-sectional study.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2019;10(6):731-734. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_361_18Pai SG, Gupta A, Dudeja L, Nayak MK.Ocular manifestations of vitiligo: evaluation and study of any possible association.Online J Health Allied Sci. 2015;14(4):10.Karadag R, Esmer O, Karadag AS, et al.Evaluation of ocular findings in patients with vitiligo.Int J Dermatol.2016;55:351–355. doi:10.1111/ijd.13031Elbuluk N, Ezzedine K.Quality of life, burden of disease, comorbidities, and systemic effects in vitiligo patients.Dermatol Clin.2017;35(2):117-128. doi:10.1016/j.det.2016.11.002Harvard Medical School.Vitiligo: more than skin deep.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Why are my eyes changing color?Örnek N, Onaran Z, Koçak M, Örnek K.Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in vitiligo patients.J Res Med Sci. 2013;18(5):405–407.American Academy of Dermatology.Is vitiligo a medical condition?Kandaswamy S, Akhtar N, Ravindran S, Prabhu S, Shenoi SD.Phototherapy in vitiligo: assessing the compliance, response and patient’s perception about disease and treatment.Indian J Dermatol. 2013;58(4):325. doi:10.4103/0019-5154.113944Mehran G, Rohani Nasab M, Hanifnia AR, et al.Prevalence of ocular findings in patients with vitiligo.J Skin Stem Cell. 2014;1(1):e19045. doi:10.17795/jssc19045American Academy of Ophthalmology.Acute anterior uveitis.Yale Medicine.Uveitis.MedlinePlus.Vitiligo.Penn Medicine.Vitiligo.Gandhi K, Ezzedine K, Anastassopoulos KP, et al.Prevalence of vitiligo among adults in the United States.JAMA Dermatol. 2022;158(1):43-50. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.4724Vitiligo Society.What you need to know about vitiligo.Strassner JP, Harris JE.Understanding mechanisms of autoimmunity through translational research in vitiligo.Curr Opin Immunol.2016;43:81-11. doi:10.1016/j.coi.2016.09.008American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: who gets and causes.Manga P, Elbuluk N, Orlow SJ.Recent advances in understanding vitiligo.F1000Res. 2016;5(F1000 Faculty Rev):2234. doi:10.12688/f1000research.8976.1American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: diagnosis and treatment.American Academy of Family Physicians.Vitiligo.Baykal Selçuk L, Katkat E, Aksu Arıca D, Yaylı S, Bahadır S.Sun-protection habits and knowledge of patients with vitiligo.Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat. 2020;29(1):7-10. doi:10.15570/actaapa.2020.3American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: signs and symptoms.Vachiramon V, Onprasert W, Harnchoowong S, et al.Prevalence and clinical characteristics of itch in vitiligo and its clinical significance.BioMed Research International.2017;2017:1-8. doi:10.1155/2017/5617838Food and Drug Administration.Opzelura label.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Vitiligo.UMass Medical School.Patterns of vitiligo.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Ahluwalia J, Correa-Selm LM, Rao BK.Vitiligo: not simply a skin disease.Skinmed. 2017;15(2):125-127.Sitiwin E, Madigan MC, Gratton E, et al.Shedding light on melanins within in situ human eye melanocytes using 2-photon microscopy profiling techniques.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):18585. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54871-yPrabha N, Chhabra N, Shrivastava AK, et al.Ocular abnormalities in vitiligo patients: a cross-sectional study.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2019;10(6):731-734. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_361_18Pai SG, Gupta A, Dudeja L, Nayak MK.Ocular manifestations of vitiligo: evaluation and study of any possible association.Online J Health Allied Sci. 2015;14(4):10.Karadag R, Esmer O, Karadag AS, et al.Evaluation of ocular findings in patients with vitiligo.Int J Dermatol.2016;55:351–355. doi:10.1111/ijd.13031Elbuluk N, Ezzedine K.Quality of life, burden of disease, comorbidities, and systemic effects in vitiligo patients.Dermatol Clin.2017;35(2):117-128. doi:10.1016/j.det.2016.11.002Harvard Medical School.Vitiligo: more than skin deep.American Academy of Ophthalmology.Why are my eyes changing color?Örnek N, Onaran Z, Koçak M, Örnek K.Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in vitiligo patients.J Res Med Sci. 2013;18(5):405–407.American Academy of Dermatology.Is vitiligo a medical condition?Kandaswamy S, Akhtar N, Ravindran S, Prabhu S, Shenoi SD.Phototherapy in vitiligo: assessing the compliance, response and patient’s perception about disease and treatment.Indian J Dermatol. 2013;58(4):325. doi:10.4103/0019-5154.113944Mehran G, Rohani Nasab M, Hanifnia AR, et al.Prevalence of ocular findings in patients with vitiligo.J Skin Stem Cell. 2014;1(1):e19045. doi:10.17795/jssc19045American Academy of Ophthalmology.Acute anterior uveitis.Yale Medicine.Uveitis.MedlinePlus.Vitiligo.Penn Medicine.Vitiligo.Gandhi K, Ezzedine K, Anastassopoulos KP, et al.Prevalence of vitiligo among adults in the United States.JAMA Dermatol. 2022;158(1):43-50. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.4724Vitiligo Society.What you need to know about vitiligo.Strassner JP, Harris JE.Understanding mechanisms of autoimmunity through translational research in vitiligo.Curr Opin Immunol.2016;43:81-11. doi:10.1016/j.coi.2016.09.008American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: who gets and causes.Manga P, Elbuluk N, Orlow SJ.Recent advances in understanding vitiligo.F1000Res. 2016;5(F1000 Faculty Rev):2234. doi:10.12688/f1000research.8976.1American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: diagnosis and treatment.American Academy of Family Physicians.Vitiligo.Baykal Selçuk L, Katkat E, Aksu Arıca D, Yaylı S, Bahadır S.Sun-protection habits and knowledge of patients with vitiligo.Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat. 2020;29(1):7-10. doi:10.15570/actaapa.2020.3American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: signs and symptoms.Vachiramon V, Onprasert W, Harnchoowong S, et al.Prevalence and clinical characteristics of itch in vitiligo and its clinical significance.BioMed Research International.2017;2017:1-8. doi:10.1155/2017/5617838Food and Drug Administration.Opzelura label.National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Vitiligo.UMass Medical School.Patterns of vitiligo.
Ahluwalia J, Correa-Selm LM, Rao BK.Vitiligo: not simply a skin disease.Skinmed. 2017;15(2):125-127.
Sitiwin E, Madigan MC, Gratton E, et al.Shedding light on melanins within in situ human eye melanocytes using 2-photon microscopy profiling techniques.Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):18585. doi:10.1038/s41598-019-54871-y
Prabha N, Chhabra N, Shrivastava AK, et al.Ocular abnormalities in vitiligo patients: a cross-sectional study.Indian Dermatol Online J. 2019;10(6):731-734. doi:10.4103/idoj.IDOJ_361_18
Pai SG, Gupta A, Dudeja L, Nayak MK.Ocular manifestations of vitiligo: evaluation and study of any possible association.Online J Health Allied Sci. 2015;14(4):10.
Karadag R, Esmer O, Karadag AS, et al.Evaluation of ocular findings in patients with vitiligo.Int J Dermatol.2016;55:351–355. doi:10.1111/ijd.13031
Elbuluk N, Ezzedine K.Quality of life, burden of disease, comorbidities, and systemic effects in vitiligo patients.Dermatol Clin.2017;35(2):117-128. doi:10.1016/j.det.2016.11.002
Harvard Medical School.Vitiligo: more than skin deep.
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Why are my eyes changing color?
Örnek N, Onaran Z, Koçak M, Örnek K.Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in vitiligo patients.J Res Med Sci. 2013;18(5):405–407.
American Academy of Dermatology.Is vitiligo a medical condition?
Kandaswamy S, Akhtar N, Ravindran S, Prabhu S, Shenoi SD.Phototherapy in vitiligo: assessing the compliance, response and patient’s perception about disease and treatment.Indian J Dermatol. 2013;58(4):325. doi:10.4103/0019-5154.113944
Mehran G, Rohani Nasab M, Hanifnia AR, et al.Prevalence of ocular findings in patients with vitiligo.J Skin Stem Cell. 2014;1(1):e19045. doi:10.17795/jssc19045
American Academy of Ophthalmology.Acute anterior uveitis.
Yale Medicine.Uveitis.
MedlinePlus.Vitiligo.
Penn Medicine.Vitiligo.
Gandhi K, Ezzedine K, Anastassopoulos KP, et al.Prevalence of vitiligo among adults in the United States.JAMA Dermatol. 2022;158(1):43-50. doi:10.1001/jamadermatol.2021.4724
Vitiligo Society.What you need to know about vitiligo.
Strassner JP, Harris JE.Understanding mechanisms of autoimmunity through translational research in vitiligo.Curr Opin Immunol.2016;43:81-11. doi:10.1016/j.coi.2016.09.008
American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: who gets and causes.
Manga P, Elbuluk N, Orlow SJ.Recent advances in understanding vitiligo.F1000Res. 2016;5(F1000 Faculty Rev):2234. doi:10.12688/f1000research.8976.1
American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: diagnosis and treatment.
American Academy of Family Physicians.Vitiligo.
Baykal Selçuk L, Katkat E, Aksu Arıca D, Yaylı S, Bahadır S.Sun-protection habits and knowledge of patients with vitiligo.Acta Dermatovenerol Alp Pannonica Adriat. 2020;29(1):7-10. doi:10.15570/actaapa.2020.3
American Academy of Dermatology.Vitiligo: signs and symptoms.
Vachiramon V, Onprasert W, Harnchoowong S, et al.Prevalence and clinical characteristics of itch in vitiligo and its clinical significance.BioMed Research International.2017;2017:1-8. doi:10.1155/2017/5617838
Food and Drug Administration.Opzelura label.
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.Vitiligo.
UMass Medical School.Patterns of vitiligo.
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