I'm 53 yrs and have noticed that the whites of my eyes are yellowing, do I need to see my doctor, as they look dull too. I'm on medicines for high blood pressure and cholesterol, could these medicines be the reason?

Yellow color in your eyes is not considered to be a health condition in itself, but rather a symptom of underlying conditions, especially liver disease. Yellow eyes and liver disease are usually related to each other. The yellowing of the whites of eye and skin is known as jaundice, a symptom of liver disease. The yellowing is caused when there is excessive bilirubin in the blood stream. Jaundice is usually accompanied by fever, chills, fatigue and general malaise. There could also be stomach problems caused due to the yellowing of the eyes.

Another cause of yellowing of the eyes is yellow fever. This is a hemorrhagic fever caused due to a viral infection. This fever is caused due to mosquitoes and is extremely common in Africa and South America. People traveling to these countries could contract the disease and pass it on through mosquitoes. This is a serious condition, which could eventually cause brain dysfunction as well. Side effects of medicines are also what cause yellow eyes. Certain medications form by products that could possibly make the skin and the whites of the eyes turn yellow in color. Since most of these conditions are rather serious, it is best that you get yourself checked by a doctor as soon as possible.

answered by G M

Can drinking cause the eyes to be yellow in color?

Your eyes could get yellow in color due to drinking excessive amounts of alcohol. Alcohol is known to damage the body in many ways, taking a toll especially on the liver. When the liver is damaged, it causes the production of excessive amounts of bilirubin, releasing the chemical into the bloodstream. This causes the skin as well as the whites of the eyes to become pale or yellow in color.

Apart from the eyes and the skin, your urine and stools will also begin to have deep yellow color. This is the usually the first and most absolute sign of liver damage. This is the body’s indication that all is not well, and it is best not to drink alcohol anymore, as it could completely damage your liver and cause poisoning in your blood.

Cirrhosis of the liver, or liver failure, is a very serious condition and is often fatal as well. If your liver is damaged, you need medical attention immediately, and since this is one of the primary reasons for yellow eyes, getting help immediately is recommended. Yellow eyes can be alcohol induced, but it could be caused due to other reasons as well. One of the other causes of yellowing eyes is the consumption of medications that cause the release of yellowing compounds into the blood.

answered by C B

Is it so that a newborn having yellow eyes is suffering from jaundice?

Jaundice is an extremely common condition, especially in newborn babies. Jaundice yellow eyes is a condition in which the baby’s skin and whites of eyes become pale or yellow in color. This condition is caused when there is too much of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a compound synthesized in the liver. It is produced as a byproduct when the red blood cells begin to break down in the body.

In a healthy body, the bilirubin is passed through the liver, and from there, it is excreted through the intestines in the form of bile. New born babies are more prone to jaundice because their livers are still maturing and the bilirubin in the body builds up faster than the tiny liver can process it. Since infants have a higher turnover of red blood cells, they also generate much more bilirubin than adults. On the other hand, since their liver is relatively immature, it is unable to process the compound as efficiently, causing yellow jaundice in newborns.

As mentioned earlier, in newborn babies, the amount of bilirubin produced is high, so the amount of compound absorbed by the intestines is too large. Before the baby can excrete the bilirubin, it passes into the blood, causing jaundice in the newborn. If your baby has yellow eyes, it is most likely jaundice. Make sure to take your baby to a doctor for treatment and advice.

answered by S S

Please suggest some home treatment to get rid it?

More often than not, the yellowing of the whites of your eyes is caused due to damage to your liver. Taking care of your diet and having a healthy liver is a sure way of preventing jaundice from occurring. However, if you are suffering from jaundice, it is best to make sure that you get treatment immediately.

The first thing to do is to drink lots of fluids, especially clean water. Hydration is one of the best ways to keep your liver healthy. Keep drinking lots of water and keep your body hydrated. Eat simple sugars and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables as well. Simple sugars help facilitate the regeneration of the cells of the liver, and the nutrients from fresh fruits and vegetables help keep the liver healthy.

If you want to get rid of yellow eyes, get lots of rest and eat planet of healthy foods. Sleep well so that your body is well rested. Toxins can make you feel tired and fatigued. If these remedies are not helping you, it is important to seek medical help. If the liver is damaged too severely, treatment for yellow eyes is to get a liver transplant. Since yellow eyes disease is almost always related to the liver, getting treatment for liver is necessary.

answered by A S

Yellow color in eyes is not really a condition, but rather a symptom of other underlying conditions, which could be quite serious. Men, women and children of all ages could experience yellow eyes symptoms, because of different reason. Moreover, yellowing of the eyes symptoms too, could vary, from person to person, based on the causes and depending on the person's overall health, levels of fitness, medical history and so on. At times, people could notice that the white of eyes are yellow, but they have no other symptoms. However, in other instances the yellow color in eyes could be accompanied by other signs and symptoms, like pain, fever, weakness, fatigue and yellowing of the skin on the other parts of the body too. When this happens, people are usually advised to consult a doctor immediately and identify what the possible yellow eyes causes could be. A series of tests would need to be carried out to determine what could have led to the yellowing of the eyes.

While there could be many factors that could lead to yellowish eyes, some of them are more common than the others. Unfortunately, most of the causes of yellow eyes are quite serious and need to be addressed without any delay. Given below are some of the most common causes of yellow eyes:

Jaundice can be described as a condition, which is caused by the elevated levels of bilirubin in the body. Bilirubin is a like a byproduct of red blood cells, which is broken down, by the liver. One of the first signs of Jaundice is the yellow staining of the skin as well as the sclera, which is the white of the eye. Most people tend to notice the change in the skin color a bit later, but the yellow eye color usually becomes evident almost immediately. In jaundice, yellowing skin and yellow eyes are symptoms of bilirubin levels that are mildly elevated. In case the levels of bilirubin rise very high, then the skin can turn much darker, that is, close to brown. As soon as people notice these changes, it is important to seek medical attention.

Jaundice can occur in the person, if the production of bilirubin in the body increases, for some reason. At times, a defect in the liver can also prevent the bilirubin from being eliminated from the blood stream. There are certain factors that could also cause a blockage in the bile ducts, which decrease the flow of bilirubin and bile to the intestines, for elimination. Factors that could lead to this include inflammation of the bile ducts, cancers and formation of gallstones. The consumption of certain food, medication and supplements have also known to lead to jaundice.

Yellow fever can be described as a type of hemorrhagic fever, which is caused by a certain virus. This virus is passed on to humans, by a particular species of mosquitos. While yellow fever is not common in the United States, it does exist in areas of South America and Africa. Hence, people travelling to those places can contract the disease from there. At the beginning, the symptoms caused by this condition include nausea, fever, vomiting and headaches. However, as the fever progresses, the symptoms also become more serious. There are different phases of yellow fever, which include the acute phase and the toxic phase. When the condition reaches the toxic phase, the symptoms may appear life threatening. One of the main symptoms of toxic yellow fever includes yellow color in eyes and on the skin, accompanied by:

• Brain dysfunction, which could take on the form of delirium, seizures and coma
• Arrhythmias
• Decrease in the frequency of urination
• Liver and kidney failure
• Bleeding from the eyes, nose and mouth
• Severe pain in the abdomen
• Vomiting, which may include traces of blood

The liver is the largest organ in the human body, which processes all the medication and supplements consumed by a person. Unfortunately, due to the buildup of toxins in the body, the liver could be adversely affected, which leads to several uncomfortable symptoms. Some of the common symptoms of liver dysfunction include:

• Jaundice or yellowish eyes and skin
• Fatigue
• Pain in the abdomen
• Bruising easily
• Spots on the skin

Since all these conditions are quite serious, it is important to consult a doctor immediately, after noticing yellow eye color.

Yellowish eyes treatment depends entirely on the factors that are causing it. After going through a few tests and determining the exact yellow eyes causes, doctors may recommend medication, therapies or even some remedies for yellow eyes cure. However, under no circumstances should people try to cure yellow eyes at home, without at least visiting a doctor first. Some of the causes of yellow eyes could also be fatal if they are left untreated. Therefore, all patients are strongly advised to visit a doctor before taking any medication, or even before making any changes to the medication they are currently taking.

answered by M W