US Medical Term · anatomy
Sclera
Esclerótica
Also: Esclera (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Sclera |
| Spanish (Español) | Esclerótica |
| Chinese (中文) | 鞏膜 |
| Korean (한국어) | 공막 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Củng mạc |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Esklerotika |
| Portuguese (Português) | Esclera |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ตาขาว |
| Japanese (日本語) | 強膜 |
What it means
The sclera is the tough, white outer covering of your eyeball — the part you see as the whites of the eyes. It is a thick, fibrous tissue that gives the eye its shape and protects the delicate inner structures. The sclera covers about 80 percent of the eyeball's surface and is continuous with the cornea at the front. It provides attachment points for the six muscles that move the eye. When blood vessels in the overlying conjunctiva (a clear membrane covering the sclera) become irritated or broken, the whites of the eyes turn red. A condition called scleritis is painful inflammation of the sclera itself, sometimes linked to rheumatoid arthritis. Yellowing of the sclera is a sign of jaundice, indicating liver problems.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
My eyes look yellow — the doctor said my sclera is discolored because of a liver problem.
Mis ojos se ven amarillos — el doctor dijo que mi esclerótica está decolorada por un problema hepático.
I have a painful red eye that is not pink eye — the doctor diagnosed scleritis.
Tengo un ojo rojo y doloroso que no es conjuntivitis — el doctor diagnosticó escleritis.
What causes the sclera to look blue or gray in some people?
¿Qué causa que la esclerótica se vea azul o gris en algunas personas?
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026