|  | Conditions Treatments | Medical Conditions

What Causes Yellowing of the Eyes?

There are many causes of the yellowing of the eyes or jaundice and they all necessitate prompt diagnosis and treatment. Jaundice is a sign of an underlying medical issue or reaction to medication which affects the liver. The underlying cause of yellowing of the eyes should be properly diagnosed and treated. High bilirubin levels and bile are the primary causes of the yellowing of the eyes. However, medication and other medical issues are the underlying cause of jaundice.

  1. High Bilirubin and Bile

    • The most common cause of the yellowing of the eyes is a result of jaundice, caused by a high bilirubin level in the blood. Bilirubin is a chemical in hemoglobin that carries oxygen in red blood cells. Blood cells usually break down in the body and new cells replace them. The liver processes the blood cells, but if the liver is not capable of breaking them down, bilirubin builds up in the body, causing the skin to appear yellow.

      Jaundice or yellowing may also occur because of an obstruction in the bile duct. This often occurs when the urine and bowel movements change. Bile is normally excreted by the body, but in some cases it may change color because of the bilirubin building up in the body.

    Medication and Reaction to Substances

    • There are many medications and substances that cause the yellowing of the skin. Mercury poisoning, some antibiotics, such as sufa and erythromycin, antidepressants, and cancer medication often have a negative impact on liver function.

    Liver Disease

    • Liver disease can involve a number of diseases, infections, or other medical conditions. Liver disease often affects the cells, tissue, liver structure and healthy functions of the liver. The liver is an organ that is responsible for producing bile, filtering the blood, processing fats, protein production, metabolism, vitamin storage, fluid transportation, and the recycling of red blood cells. Liver disease can be caused by viral and bacterial infection, chemical shifts in the body, and physical changes. It may also be caused by malnutrition and alcoholism.

    Cirrhosis

    • Cirrhosis is when the liver deteriorates because of injury. Scar tissue takes over the healthy parts of the liver and blocks flow of the blood. The health of the body is then compromised and cannot control infection because it is unable to remove toxins from the blood. When a liver is healthy, it normally regenerates cells. However, during cirrhosis, the body is no longer able to produce healthy, new cells.

    Hemolysis

    • Hemolysis (also called Haemolysis) is when red blood cells in the body break down. Hemoglobin is then released into the blood plasma. Hemolytic jaundice is caused because the body begins to produce to much bilirubin because of the increased destruction of erythrocytes, or red blood cells.

    Hepatitis C

    • Hepatitis C is a disease that affects the liver because of a viral infection that can cause liver failure and scarring. One of the primary symptoms of acute hepatitis involves jaundice because of the inflammation of the liver. The inflammation can cause irreversible damage and impede the function of the liver.

Medical Conditions - Related Articles