Fleischer rings are pigmented rings in the peripheral cornea

Cornea

The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Together with the lens, the cornea refracts light, with the cornea accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power. In humans, the refractive power of the cornea is...

, resulting from iron

Iron

Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...

 deposition in basal epithelial cells, in the form of hemosiderin

Hemosiderin

thumb|Hemosiderin image of a kidney viewed under a microscope. The brown areas represent hemosiderinHemosiderin or haemosiderin is an iron-storage complex. It is always found within cells and appears to be a complex of ferritin, denatured ferritin and other material...

. They are usually yellowish to dark-brown, and may be complete or broken.

They are named for Bruno Fleischer

Bruno Fleischer

Bruno Fleischer was a German doctor.Kayser-Fleischer rings and Fleischer rings are named for him.-Further reading:...

.

Fleischer rings are indicative of keratoconus

Keratoconus

Keratoconus , is a degenerative disorder of the eye in which structural changes within the cornea cause it to thin and change to a more conical shape than its normal gradual curve....

, a degenerative corneal condition that causes the cornea to thin and change to a conic shape.

Confusion with Kayser-Fleischer rings

Some confusion exists between Fleischer rings and Kayser-Fleischer rings. Kayser-Fleischer rings are caused by copper

Copper

Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...

 deposits, and are indicative of Wilson's disease

Wilson's disease

Wilson's disease or hepatolenticular degeneration is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder in which copper accumulates in tissues; this manifests as neurological or psychiatric symptoms and liver disease...

, whereas Fleischer rings are caused by iron deposits.

See also

Other iron lines:

• Hudson-Stahli line
  Hudson-Stahli line
  The Hudson-Stahli line is a line of iron deposition laying roughly on the border between the middle and lower thirds of the cornea. It lies in the corneal epithelium. Usually it has about 0.5 mm in thickness and is 1–2 mm long. It is generally horizontal, with possible mild downward trend...
  
  , associated with aging
• Stocker's line - iron deposition in pterygium
  Pterygium
  Pterygium most often refers to a benign growth of the conjunctiva. A pterygium commonly grows from the nasal side of the sclera. It is usually present in the palpebral fissure. It is associated with, and thought to be caused by ultraviolet-light exposure , low humidity, and dust...