5 most common causes of yellow eyes

Yellow eyes usually occur when the sclera, the whites of the eyes, turn yellow. In most cases, it happens if you have jaundice, a condition in which the body does not process bilirubin the way it should, but other medical conditions or medications can also make the eyes turn yellow.

While healthy eye tissues always look white. Yellow sclera means you might have jaundice or an underlying health condition related to the liver, pancreas, blood or gallbladder.

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Yellow eyes symptoms

Symptoms can include weakness and fatigue. (Photo via Freepik)

If the condition is accompanied by yellow skin, it could potentially be jaundice, and the symptoms might include:

• weakness and fatigue
• appetite loss
• fever
• nausea and vomiting
• muscle and joint aches

If you have yellow eyes but no jaundice, it could be because of various other reasons.

In this article, we discuss some potential causes of yellow eyes and how you can get rid of them.

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Conditions that cause yellow eyes

Here are five potential causes that might be a reason why you have yellow eyes:

#1 Hepatitis

Symptoms of hepatitis include stomach pain. (Photo via Pexels/Sora Shimazaki)

Hepatitis is a condition that causes liver inflammation. The condition is caused due to a virus that infects the liver cells, but there are other possible causes, too. Hepatitis disrupts the functioning of the liver, which prevents it from filtering the bilirubin.

Symptoms

• flu-like symptoms
• fatigue
• pale stool
• dark-colored urine
• yellow skin and eyes
• abdominal pain
• loss of appetite

#2 Hemolytic anemia

Symptoms of hemolytic anemia can include low blood pressure. (Photo via Pexels/Thirdman)

Hemolytic anemia can also lead to yellow eyes. It's a blood disorder where the body loses red blood cells very quickly and causes anemia and bilirubin build-up.

Symptoms

• shortness of breath
• fatigue
• jaundice
• tachycardia (fast heartbeat)
• blood in urine
• low blood pressure

#3 Gallstones

Symptoms of gallstones can include vomiting and nausea. (Photo via Freepik)

Gallstones in the gallbladder are also a common cause of eyes turning to yellow. These hard deposits block the bile ducts and lead to a build-up of bilirubin in the blood, causing the white of the eyes to turn yellow.

Symptoms

• pain in the centre of the stomach
• pain in the upper right portion of the abdomen
• vomiting and nausea
• pain in the shoulder, particularly the right one
• back pain

#4 Pancreatitis

Symptoms of pancreatitis include fast heartbeat. (Photo via Pexels/freestocks.org)

The inflammation of the pancreas is termed pancreatitis. The pancreas helps produce enzymes the body needs for proper digestion.

Pancreatitis can lead to flare-ups during which an individual may experience a variety of uncomfortable symptoms, including jaundice, which can turn the eyes yellow.

Symptoms

• fever
• upper abdominal pain
• tenderness in the abdomen
• vomiting and nausea
• fast heartbeat

#5 Eye bleed (subconjunctival hemorrhage)

Symptoms of subconjunctival hemorrhage includes blood in eye. (Photo via Freepik)

A subconjunctival hemorrhage is characterized by a pool of blood in the eye. As the blood starts to break down, it turns the whites of the eyes to yellow.

While eye bleed does not cause pain or any problems to vision, it may cause severe itching. Subconjunctival hemorrhage often occurs when blood pressure raises rapidly because of trauma, sneezing, powerful coughing or vomiting.

Symptoms

• severe itching
• a scratchy feeling particularly on the eye’s surface

Other potential causes

Apart from the aforementioned medical conditions, several other factors are linked to yellowish eyes, including:

• reaction to blood transfusion
• certain medications
• excessive alcohol consumption
• cirrhosis
• malaria
• fatty liver disease

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Yellow eyes treatment

Identifying the underlying cause of yellow eyes is often the first major step towards the treatment.

Once you’ve undergone the diagnosis and your doctor has determined the symptoms and condition, they can prescribe the right treatment. In most cases, blood tests are done to check for problems in major organs associated with eyes turning yellow.

Moreover, you should consult a doctor as soon as possible if you see the above symptoms along with yellowing of your eyes. These include itchy skin, rashes, loss of appetite, severe abdominal pain, dark urine, swelling in the body and nose bleeding. All of them may be a sign of a more serious health condition.