What Does It Mean When Your Eyes Turn Yellow?

Yellow eyes usually signal a problem with your liver, gallbladder, or pancreas. This yellowing, known as jaundice, happens when a substance called bilirubin builds up in your body. Jaundice can be a sign of serious illness. If your eyes turn yellow, see a doctor right away.

What Causes Yellow Eyes?

The most common cause of yellow eyes is jaundice. Jaundice happens when there is too much bilirubin in your blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment made when your body breaks down old red blood cells. Usually, your liver processes bilirubin and helps remove it. If something affects your liver or the way your body handles bilirubin, it can build up and make your skin and eyes look yellow.¹

Common Causes of Jaundice

• Liver disease: Conditions like hepatitis, cirrhosis, or fatty liver disease can damage your liver. When the liver is not working well, it cannot process bilirubin, so levels rise.²
• Gallbladder problems: The gallbladder stores bile, which helps your body digest fats. Gallstones or inflammation can block the flow of bile, trapping bilirubin in your system.
• Pancreatic disorders: The pancreas is close to the bile ducts. Cancer or inflammation can block the ducts and cause jaundice.
• Blood disorders: Sometimes, your body breaks down red blood cells too quickly. This releases more bilirubin than your liver can handle.³

Other Causes of Yellow Eyes

Though less common, some other reasons can make your eyes look yellow:

• Certain medications: Some drugs like NSAIDs (ibuprofen and naproxen), statins, and some antibiotics (amoxicillin-clavulanate) can damage your liver or cause other problems that lead to jaundice.⁴
• Infections: Some viral or bacterial infections can cause liver inflammation.
• Alcohol use: Heavy drinking harms the liver and may lead to jaundice over time.
• Inherited conditions: Rare genetic conditions can affect how your body processes bilirubin.

Symptoms That Often Go With Yellow Eyes

Yellow eyes may not appear alone. Other symptoms might help point to the cause:

• Dark urine
• Pale stools
• Itchy skin
• Fatigue or weakness
• Nausea or vomiting
• Abdominal pain or swelling

If you notice any of these symptoms with yellow eyes, get medical attention.

When Should You Worry?

Any change in the color of your eyes should be taken seriously. If you wake up and see that the whites of your eyes look yellow, do not ignore it. Even if you feel fine, yellow eyes may be the first sign of a serious health problem.

If you also have:

• Fever
• Sudden pain in your upper right belly
• Confusion or unusual drowsiness
• Easy bruising or bleeding
• Very dark urine or pale stools

How Is the Cause Diagnosed?

Your doctor will ask about your medical history and check your symptoms. They may order:

• Blood tests: To check your liver function, bilirubin levels, and blood cell counts.
• Imaging tests: An ultrasound or CT scan can show problems in the liver, gallbladder, or pancreas.
• Other tests: Sometimes, a liver biopsy or special scans are needed.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause.

• Liver disease: If a virus causes it, you may need antiviral medicine. If alcohol is the cause, stopping alcohol is necessary.
• Gallstones: You may need medicine or surgery to remove the stones.
• Blockage or cancer: Doctors may need to remove the blockage or treat the cancer.
• Blood disorders: Treating the underlying blood problem helps control jaundice.

The key is to treat the cause. Yellow eyes do not go away on their own if the problem continues.

Can Yellow Eyes Be Prevented?

You cannot always prevent jaundice, but you can lower your risk:

• Avoid heavy alcohol use
• Get vaccinated against hepatitis
• Practice safe food and water habits, especially when traveling
• Use medications only as directed
• Keep a healthy weight and avoid risky behaviors

FAQs

1. Is yellowing of the eyes always serious?

Yes. It almost always means something is wrong with your liver, gallbladder, or blood. You should see a doctor right away.

2. Can yellow eyes be caused by eye problems alone?

Rarely. Most of the time, yellow eyes are not caused by eye diseases. They come from problems in your liver, gallbladder, or blood.

3. Are yellow eyes in babies normal?

Newborns often get jaundice, but it can be normal in the first week. Still, it should be checked by a doctor.

4. Can diet cause yellow eyes?

Diet alone does not usually cause yellow eyes. However, eating a lot of foods high in beta-carotene (like carrots) can turn your skin slightly yellow, but it does not affect the eyes.

5. Will yellow eyes go away on their own?

No. Yellow eyes will not go away until the cause is treated. Always see a doctor if you notice this change.

References:

1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/15367-adult-jaundice ↩︎
2. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007491.htm ↩︎
3. https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/jaundice ↩︎
4. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000226.htm ↩︎