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why are my eyes yellow

Yellow eyes usually mean that the white part of your eye (the sclera) is being stained by a buildup of a yellow pigment in your blood called bilirubin , which is most often a sign of jaundice and can be serious.

What “yellow eyes” usually mean

When people ask “why are my eyes yellow,” doctors first think about problems with how the body handles bilirubin.

  • Red blood cells break down all the time and produce bilirubin as waste.
  • The liver normally processes bilirubin and sends it out of the body in bile.
  • If this system is overloaded or blocked, bilirubin builds up in the blood and deposits in the skin and eyes, turning them yellow (jaundice).

Yellowing that is truly in the sclera (not just on the surface) is almost always treated as a “see a doctor now” sign, not something to watch casually.

Common medical causes

Here are some of the more frequent reasons adults develop yellow eyes.

  • Liver diseases
    • Hepatitis A, B, C and other types of hepatitis inflame the liver and reduce its ability to clear bilirubin.
* Cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), which can develop from chronic hepatitis, long‑term heavy alcohol use, or non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease, also leads to jaundice.
  • Bile duct and gallbladder problems
    • Gallstones or tumors can block the bile ducts, so bilirubin can’t drain properly and backs up into the bloodstream.
* Other bile duct diseases (like primary sclerosing cholangitis or primary biliary cholangitis) can slowly damage the bile ducts and cause jaundice.
  • Blood and genetic disorders
    • Conditions like sickle cell disease, some hemolytic anemias, or rare genetic issues with bilirubin metabolism (for example, Gilbert’s syndrome) increase bilirubin and can cause yellow eyes.
  • Infections and other systemic illnesses
    • Infections such as malaria can break down red blood cells and overload the liver with bilirubin.
* Some cancers of the liver, pancreas, or gallbladder can obstruct bile flow and cause jaundice.
  • Medications or toxins
    • Excessive use of certain drugs (for example, high‑dose acetaminophen, some antibiotics, oral contraceptives, anabolic steroids, and others) or poisoning can injure the liver and lead to yellow eyes.

Less serious or eye‑only causes

Sometimes “yellow eyes” can be something more local or benign, but these still deserve a proper check.

  • Old blood on the eye surface
    • A broken blood vessel on the eye (subconjunctival hemorrhage) can start out bright red and then fade to brownish or yellow as it heals, similar to a skin bruise.
  • Surface deposits or bumps
    • Yellowish patches on the white of the eye (such as pinguecula) can appear from sun and wind exposure but usually do not turn the entire sclera yellow.

Even when the cause is minor, it’s hard to tell that at home, which is why medical evaluation is so important.

Warning signs: when to seek urgent care

Because yellow eyes can signal serious disease, doctors usually recommend prompt assessment, especially if you notice any of these.

  • Yellowing of both eyes and often the skin.
  • Dark urine (tea‑ or cola‑colored) and very pale or clay‑colored stools.
  • Abdominal pain (especially in the upper right side), bloating, or a feeling of fullness.
  • Nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, or unexplained weight loss.
  • Fever, fatigue, or itching all over the body.
  • A history of heavy alcohol use, hepatitis, new medications, or recent travel to areas with common liver infections.

If your eyes are yellow right now , or this is new for you, the safest move is:

  1. Contact a doctor or urgent care today and describe the yellowing.
  2. Go to emergency care if you also have strong abdominal pain, confusion, heavy bleeding, or feel very unwell.

What doctors typically do

An example of what might happen when you are seen:

  • History and exam
    • Questions about alcohol, medications, supplements, infections, travel, family history, and timing of symptoms.
    • Looking at skin, eyes, abdomen, and signs of chronic liver disease.
  • Tests
    • Blood tests: liver function tests, bilirubin level, complete blood count, and tests for hepatitis or hemolysis.
* Imaging: ultrasound or other scans to look for gallstones, bile duct blockage, or liver changes.
  • Treatment
    • Depends entirely on the cause: treating hepatitis, removing gallstones or unblocking ducts, adjusting medications, treating infections, or addressing chronic liver disease.
* The yellow color itself is not the main target; it fades as the underlying problem is treated.

SEO‑style quick notes

  • Focus phrase “why are my eyes yellow”: most often linked to jaundice from liver, bile duct, or blood problems and needs medical evaluation.
  • “Latest news” angle: in recent years more attention is on non‑alcoholic fatty liver disease and medication‑related liver injury as rising contributors to jaundice worldwide.

If you’ve noticed yellow in your eyes—even if you feel mostly okay—it’s important to treat it as a medical symptom, not just a cosmetic change, and get checked as soon as you can.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.