Abstract / Summary
Background: Iris color is commonly described using broad phenotypic categories such as blue, green, hazel, and brown. Although these descriptors are clinically intuitive, they provide limited information regarding the apparent degree and spatial distribution of anterior stromal pigmentation. Purpose: To introduce the Lumineyes™ Iris Pigmentation Scale (LIPS) as a proposed clinical framework for standardized description of anterior stromal iris pigmentation. Methods: LIPS was developed as a conceptual ordinal clinical framework based on the distinction between perceived iris color and the clinically apparent degree and spatial distribution of anterior stromal pigmentation, informed by prior iris classification literature. The framework defines five grades and a standardized clinical assessment and documentation pathway. Results: The proposed framework comprises five ordinal grades. Grades I through IV represent a progressive spectrum of diffuse anterior stromal pigmentation, whereas Grade V represents a qualitatively distinct phenotype characterized by substantial spatial heterogeneity. Conclusion: LIPS provides a structured five-grade clinical framework for describing anterior stromal iris pigmentation while maintaining a distinction between pigmentation phenotype and conventional iris color terminology. Formal prospective validation is required before LIPS can be considered a validated clinical assessment instrument. Preprint — not peer reviewed. Conceptual framework.