Lines & Rings in Ophthalmology: 25 Named Signs in Tables
Last updated: October 2026
Named lines and rings in the eye, grouped by where you see them. For spots and dots (Krachmer, Horner–Trantas, Elschnig and more) see Dots & Spots in Ophthalmology.
Corneal lines
| Name | What it is | Seen in |
|---|---|---|
| Hudson–Stähli line | Horizontal epithelial iron line at the junction of the middle and lower thirds | Normal ageing |
| Stocker line | Epithelial iron line at the head of a pterygium | Pterygium |
| Ferry line | Epithelial iron line next to a filtering bleb | After trabeculectomy |
| LASIK iron line | Central epithelial iron from altered tear pooling | After myopic LASIK (a pseudo-Fleischer ring after hyperopic treatment) |
| Khodadoust line | Line of inflammatory cells moving across the graft endothelium | Endothelial graft rejection |
| Ehrlich–Türk line | Vertical line of keratic precipitates | Uveitis |
| Vogt striae | Fine vertical lines in the deep stroma that disappear with gentle pressure on the globe | Keratoconus |
| Haab striae | Horizontal or curvilinear breaks in Descemet membrane | Primary congenital glaucoma (forceps breaks are vertical or oblique) |
| Fingerprint lines | Subepithelial fingerprint-like lines (with maps and dots) | Epithelial basement membrane dystrophy |
Lines elsewhere in the eye
| Name | What it is | Seen in |
|---|---|---|
| Arlt line | Horizontal scar in the sulcus subtarsalis of the upper lid | Trachoma |
| Schwalbe line | Peripheral termination of Descemet membrane: the anterior landmark of the angle | Normal; prominent in posterior embryotoxon |
| Sampaolesi line | Pigment band anterior to Schwalbe line | Pseudoexfoliation, pigment dispersion |
| Zentmayer line (Scheie stripe) | Pigment on the posterior lens capsule at the zonular insertion | Pigment dispersion syndrome |
| Paton lines | Concentric peripapillary retinal folds | Disc swelling (papilloedema) |
| White lines of Vogt | Sclerosed vessels crossing lattice | Lattice degeneration |
| Schlaegel lines | Linear streaks of yellow chorioretinal spots in the periphery | Multifocal choroiditis, POHS |
Rings
| Name | What it is | Seen in |
|---|---|---|
| Fleischer ring | Iron ring in the epithelium at the base of the cone | Keratoconus |
| Kayser–Fleischer ring | Copper deposit in peripheral Descemet membrane (best on gonioscopy) | Wilson disease |
| Coats white ring | Small white ring of iron in Bowman layer | After a metallic corneal foreign body |
| Rust ring | Brown ring left after removal of an iron foreign body | Corneal foreign body |
| Immune (Wessely) ring | Ring infiltrate of antigen–antibody complexes | Acanthamoeba, HSV, bacterial and fungal keratitis |
| Vossius ring | Ring of iris pigment imprinted on the anterior lens capsule | Blunt trauma |
| Soemmering ring | Doughnut of residual lens fibres trapped between anterior and posterior capsule | After cataract surgery or lens trauma |
| Weiss ring | Ring of glial tissue torn from the disc margin, floating in the vitreous | Posterior vitreous detachment |
| Double ring sign | Pale ring of exposed sclera around a small disc | Optic nerve hypoplasia |
Corneal pigment deposits at a glance
| Pigment | Deposit | Cause | Layer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iron | Hudson–Stähli, Stocker, Ferry lines; Fleischer ring | Ageing, pterygium, bleb, keratoconus | Epithelium |
| Coats white ring | Old metallic foreign body | Bowman layer | |
| Siderosis; blood staining | Retained iron IOFB; hyphaema with raised IOP | Stroma | |
| Copper | Kayser–Fleischer ring | Wilson disease | Descemet membrane |
| Melanin | Krukenberg spindle | Pigment dispersion syndrome | Endothelium |
| Silver | Argyrosis | Silver nitrate, silver-containing drops | Stroma, Descemet |
| Gold | Chrysiasis | Long-term gold therapy | Stroma |
| Drugs | Vortex keratopathy | Amiodarone, chloroquine; Fabry disease | Epithelium |
Where residents slip
- Placing the Kayser–Fleischer ring in the epithelium: it is in Descemet membrane, unlike the iron lines.
- Calling Haab striae vertical: they are horizontal or curved; vertical breaks suggest forceps injury.
- Confusing Soemmering ring (lens fibres) with Vossius ring (iris pigment on the lens).
Related: Dots and spots, Eponymous signs, Keratoconus.
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📘 Want the exam-ready deep dive? This topic, and much more is covered in Ophthalmology Explorer (A High-Yield Clinical Reference for Ophthalmology Residents, Fellows & Board Exams) — available on Kindle. See all my books.
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