Causes of yellowing of the whites of the eyes: symptoms of pathologies and methods of treating them. Yellow whites of the eyes - causes and treatment Yellow skin and eye color causes

An indicator of human health - skin, hair, eyes. The eyes should be clear, clean, whites and corneas without signs of yellowness. If it appears suddenly, you should definitely consult a doctor - color change eyeball indicates problems that have arisen in the body.

Do I need to call right away? « ambulance» , if the whites of the eyes have turned yellow, and should you tune in to treat jaundice? No. Even the diagnosis of hepatitis is a more common name "jaundice"– has other symptoms, and the presence of the disease must be confirmed by a doctor. In addition, yellow eyes are not necessarily hepatitis A. There are many diseases that have the same sign, and not all require hospitalization.

Why are the whites of the eyes yellow?

If a person has yellow eyeballs, the reasons may be the following:

Yes and absolutely "harmless" the reasons for this condition, which do not require urgent treatment, but gradually undermine the body from the inside - chronic lack of sleep, constant sitting in front of a computer monitor, bad habits– in particular, smoking.

Yellowness in the eyes is a mandatory reason to see a doctor, even if there is no fever or nausea. It is always necessary to find out why the eyeballs have changed their color. The chance of eliminating ophthalmological diseases at the first sign of a change in the color of the eye whites is almost 100% - if the symptom is neglected, you can lose your vision.

The cause of yellow eyes is liver disease

Red blood cells in the human body contain bilirubin, which is produced by the liver. Why is bilirubin needed? This enzyme plays an important role in the digestion process - it emulsifies fats and prepares them for breakdown, which occurs in the duodenum. If there were no bilirubin, fat particles would not be absorbed. If bilirubin synthesis is increased or the body does not accept it, the whites of the eyes immediately turn yellow.

Impaired bilirubin production indicates liver pathologies of various types.

Diseases that affect liver function:

Highlight the following types hepatitis.

  1. Hemolytic. It develops with the accelerated breakdown of hemoglobin - the liver does not have time to process the amount of indirect hemoglobin that is formed during the breakdown of red blood cells into direct hemoglobin.
  2. Hepatic.

He is called:

  • Viral lesions. Symptoms of the disease with various strains of viruses: chills, headache, fever, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, loss of appetite, enlarged liver, change in the color of stool and urine - the stool becomes light and the urine becomes dark.
  • Leptospirosis. The onset is sudden, the temperature rises sharply, hemorrhagic syndrome, myalgia ( muscle pain), ESR increases, hemoglobin levels decrease, and thrombocytopenia occurs. The liver enlarges from the first days of the disease.
  • Toxic hepatitis develops acutely, and symptoms resemble viral hepatitis. The kidneys can be affected at the same time - occur renal failure. Liver function is violated.
  • Symptoms of acute alcoholic impairment resembles the development of viral hepatitis.

Additional symptoms are diarrhea, ascites.

  1. Cholestatic jaundice. The bile ducts become blocked by stones or stagnation of bile, which causes nausea, dizziness, and pain in the right hypochondrium.
  2. Enzymopathic jaundice. Due to a hereditary defect in the body's enzyme system, bilirubin synthesis is insufficient.

Jaundice in newborns rarely leads to pathological changes in the liver. It occurs in the first days after birth due to adaptation to the extrauterine period. Before birth, the fetal blood enters great amount red blood cells, and the liver cannot cope with the processing of bilirubin, which is released during their breakdown. Jaundice in newborns usually goes away on its own by 10-12 days of life.

Jaundice in newborns is dangerous if the parents' Rh factor is incompatible. In this case, infants require treatment.

Chronic liver diseases may have following symptoms: pain in the right hypochondrium, nausea, enlarged spleen, low-grade fever, varicose veins esophageal veins, ascites, anemia and others.

Treatment of all liver diseases is the prerogative of the doctor. In this case traditional methods may only have additional effects.

The whites of the eyes have turned yellow - ophthalmological reasons

Yellowness of the eyeball and iris can be caused by malignant formations tissues of the organ of vision - most often the conjunctiva. Yellowness is one of the symptoms of melanoma in the eye area. So don’t delay visiting an ophthalmologist if you have discomfort in the eye socket and yellow spots on the surface of the eyes, which can be seen when looking at yourself in the mirror.

Whites turn yellow in diseases such as pinguecula and pterygium.

A pinguecula is a small formation similar to a wen, which is localized due to a disorder of lipid metabolism in the body on the eyeball.

Pterygium is a growth of the conjunctiva of the eye (popularly called the disease "wild meat"). It begins to extend onto the sclera and reduces the field of view.

Treatment of pinguecula and pterygium is surgical. Pterygium can only be eliminated by initial stage. If the conjunctiva grows so much that it closes the pupil, then reverse restoration is impossible.

All eye diseases are a reason to consult an ophthalmologist.

Gilbert's disease

This disease also has a second name – constitutional jaundice. Boys get sick 5 times more often than girls. If we consider only Clinical signs– yellowing of the eyelids and eyeballs, then we can say that Gilbert’s disease is rare. However, if you pay attention to the blood formula regarding the emerging bilirubinemia, the frequency of manifestations increases.

Yellowness of the sclera does not always appear, but only when feeding is delayed, due to which hemolysis increases. That is, in the absence of fasting, symptoms of the disease do not occur.

It is impossible to cure Gilbert's disease, but there are ways to eliminate the symptoms. This is a gentle diet, use choleretic drugs and soy emulsions.

Whites of eyes with yellowness - possible causes

Smoking itself does not affect the color of the sclera, but you need to take into account that constantly feeding the body with nicotine increases the load on the liver.

In addition to nicotine, when smoking, other combustion products, tars and toxins enter the body. The liver cleanses the body, and overload negatively affects its function.

This is why smokers with "long experience" yellowish whites of the eyes and skin. In medicine it's called “signs of subacute toxic hepatitis”.

If unhealthy looking and yellowness of the eyeballs are caused by eye fatigue, it is necessary to balance the work and rest regime, walk more, increase the amount of healthy food in the diet - vegetables, fruits, seafood and nuts - which includes vitamins for the eyes: A, C, E, nicotine and folic acid, saturated fatty acids.

Sometimes the eyeballs turn yellow if there is a lot of carotene in the body. This happens, for example, if "abuse" carrots. In this case, the treatment is a variety of diet.

In all other situations - if the color of the sclera changes - you need to consult a doctor. This condition is a signal: not everything is in order in the body.

The color of your face has become unnatural, somehow yellow. You worry, you understand that something wrong is happening with your health. But what exactly could have caused such an unpleasant metamorphosis in your appearance? Let's try to find the answer to this question together.

Perhaps your face has a yellowish tint because you have problems with your liver, which makes it difficult for you to remove the pigment bilirubin from your body. What liver diseases are we talking about specifically? About quite serious ones, namely:

    Various forms of hepatitis.

    Cholecystitis.

  1. Helminths (or simply worms).

In the presence of these diseases it is also common:

    The urine becomes very dark and the stool turns pale.

    Appetite is almost completely absent, weight decreases sharply.

    Often feels hot and cold (or, in other words, has a fever).

    Severe pain in the abdominal area.

If this is about you, don’t hide under the covers (you’re already an adult) and urgently run to take a blood test to check your bilirubin levels.

Bilirubin causes yellowing of the skin color and also tunica albuginea eyes

arrow_left Bilirubin causes yellowing of the skin color and the white of the eye.

Gallbladder and stones

Your face may also turn yellow because stones cause bile to “get stuck” in the gallbladder.

In addition to yellow skin color, with a similar problem (called cholelithiasis) often:

    Pain in the area of ​​the right hypochondrium.

    There is a strong heaviness in the stomach.

    I often feel nauseous (even when my stomach seems to be empty).

    Pronounced, noticeable bruises appear under the eyes, the color of which cannot be hidden by any foundation.

The thyroid gland helps break down the pigment beta-carotene. If for some reason she does not do this, beta-carotene begins to accumulate in the body (or rather, in subcutaneous fat), and the color of the skin on the face becomes yellowish-orange. Most often this happens when a person has hypothyroidism (deficiency of thyroid hormones).

Your face may turn yellow due to:

    Diseases of the pancreas (primarily pancreatitis).

    Heart and blood pressure problems.

    Diseases of the spleen.

    Various ailments of the gastrointestinal tract.

    Varied oncological diseases. With such ailments, the face becomes as if “waxy”, acquires a cold yellow tint.




Shortage thyroid hormones- the cause of the “orange” face

arrow_left Thyroid hormone deficiency is the cause of an “orange” face

Are you already panicking, are you going to the doctor? Calm down - maybe everything is not so dramatic, and your skin turned yellow simply because you:

    Big fan of freshly squeezed carrot juice, Korean salads and other carrot dishes.

    Every day you load up on carotene-rich fruits and vegetables (and this includes not only tangerines, oranges and other citrus fruits, but also broccoli, pumpkin and rose hips).

    You put too much vinegar and cumin in your food.

    You smoke too much.

    She has a big sweet tooth and can’t go a day without sweets, cakes and pastries.

    A confirmed night owl and coffee lover. Yes, yes - your skin may have turned yellow due to lack of sleep and caffeine addiction.

    Do you like to pump iron and go on starvation diets at the same time? The combination is not the most advantageous - it sometimes makes your face turn yellow.

    A fan of solariums and sunbathing. Don’t forget - everything should be in moderation, even the source of life - the sun.




Smoking is one of the common causes of yellowing of the skin

arrow_left Smoking is one of the common causes of yellowing of the skin

Removing yellowness with folk remedies

The yellowness of your face has begun to negatively affect your mood, driving you into deep depression, deprive of vitality? Then you definitely need to “whiten.” This can be done quite inexpensively using simple homemade masks.

Curd option

The mask is prepared literally instantly:

    Take one tablespoon of sour cream and 2 tablespoons of cottage cheese. You mix them.

    You apply the mask to your face for half an hour, and then wash it off with lukewarm water.

Apply the curd mask 2-3 times a week for a month, and the yellowness will be removed.

If the skin on your face has become not only yellow, but also oily, it is better to use yogurt rather than sour cream. Also, in this case, it won’t hurt to add one tablespoon to the mask. fresh cucumber(chopped, of course).

Cucumber option

The mask recipe is elementary. Just cut the cucumber into small circles and apply it to your face.

But here is an alternative, more sophisticated option:

    Grind the cucumber using a grater.

    Squeeze out its juice and then mix it with olive oil.

    Add lemon pulp and apply the resulting mixture to your face for half an hour.

Carrot mask

Everything is very simple here:

    Mix 3 tablespoons of carrots (chopped, of course) with one tablespoon of sour cream.

    Add one teaspoon of vegetable oil to this mixture.

    Apply the mask and leave it on for 20-30 minutes.




Berry facial brighteners

Berries are not only an excellent whitener, they also cleanse the skin well and act as a kind of natural “peeling.”

Red berries (raspberries, viburnum, strawberries) will help you best:

    Moisten a piece of gauze in the juice of some red berry.

    You apply it to your yellowed face for a couple of minutes.

Here's an alternative recipe:

    Grind the red berries and squeeze the juice out of them.

    Apply the resulting puree to yellowed skin.

    Keep it on for 15-20 minutes and then rinse with warm running water.

    After this, apply some nourishing cream to your face.

Well, watch the video “How to lighten your skin and protect yourself from the sun”:

Often, people are very carelessly in no hurry to look for the causes of yellowed whites of the eyes, and it is completely in vain. Even if such a condition does not yet bring noticeable discomfort, it is simply necessary to ask the question why this happened. The following factors may be the reasons:

  • Infectious diseases;
  • Viral hepatitis;
  • Liver diseases;
  • Gallbladder problems;
  • Neoplasms, including malignant ones.

Liver diseases

Most often, yellowness of the whites of the eyes indicates problems with the liver, which most likely requires urgent treatment. After all, this body performs very important functions ensuring the viability of the organism.

For example, yellow squirrels are a symptom of hepatitis of any type, although the most likely disease is group A. In addition to yellowing of the eyes, it is characterized by spots on the skin of the same color or a shade of yellowness throughout the skin.

Jaundice of newborns

Newborn babies also have a yellow color in their proteins. True, this situation should not cause alarm. The reasons for its occurrence are banal - when the embryo develops in the womb, it enters its blood a large number of red blood cells, which after the birth of a child begin to disintegrate, turning the skin, including the eyes, yellow. Ten to fourteen days later, after the pigment has completely disintegrated, the eye color becomes normal, as do the rest of the baby’s body.

Malignant conjunctivitis

Yellow colored proteins may be a symptom of another malignant type. Special danger of this disease in its relative rarity, which makes it difficult correct diagnosis and selection of effective treatment.

Therefore, it is especially important to see a doctor on time, as early as possible this type identify cancer and get rid of it safely.

Other eye diseases

Often the eyes change color under the influence of diseases of the visual organs, for example, such as and.

The cause of the disease in the first case is changes in lipid metabolism, leading to the development of yellow wen.

In the second case, with pterygium, we are talking about conjunctivitis that increases and affects a large area of ​​the eyeball. In this case, treatment should be started immediately, since due to its spread directly to the pupil, a complete loss of the ability to see is possible.

Bad habits

There are also bad habits, the manifestations of which are reflected in the color of the whites of the eyes.

True, contrary to popular belief, smoking cannot change the color of your eyes, even though it is incredibly harmful. Unlike an incorrectly formulated diet, therefore, if you notice yellowness of the eyes, be prepared to switch to a strict diet at least for a while:

  • Avoid salty foods;
  • Avoid spicy foods;
  • Remove fried and floury foods from your diet;
  • Significantly limit your alcohol consumption.

It is very important to consume foods that contain sufficient quantity vitamin C.

Eye strain

Excessive strain on your eyesight can also be a contributing factor to changes in eye color, including:

Therefore, walk as much as possible fresh air. This not only helps to relax the organ of vision, but also serves as an excellent prevention of many diseases.

Try using medicinal methods care, including drops, lotions, etc. But do not neglect your health and when the first signs of a change in the color of the whites of your eyes appear, be sure to contact a qualified specialist for a thorough examination and examination.

As already mentioned, the reason for the appearance yellow eyes There may be eye pathologies that require the participation of an ophthalmologist in the treatment. In this case, it is important to choose one eye clinic, where they will really help you, and will not “brush it off” or “pull” money without solving the problem. Below is a rating of specialized ophthalmological institutions where you can undergo examination and treatment if you have been diagnosed with yellow whites of your eyes.

The human body is an amazing mechanism. When the functioning of one of its systems is disrupted, this is reflected not only in the state of health, but also in the eyes: the pupils dim, the whites become cloudy or red. However, on serious problems A yellow tint to the sclera of the eyes may also indicate health problems.

The whites of the eyes have turned yellow: what is the reason?

Changing the shade of the whites of the eyes occurs for many reasons.

Most common reason changes in eye color - jaundice.

Depending on the level of excretion of bilirubin (the main component of bile) and the factor that provokes yellowing of the sclera, several forms of this disease are distinguished:

  1. Mechanical – occurs when the bile ducts are blocked by stones or a tumor, when the flow of bile into the cavity is impaired duodenum: bilirubin is not processed, but enters the blood (first the skin turns yellow, and then the whites of the eyes).
  2. False - may appear after eating a large amount of carrots, beets, medical supplies(the disease does not need to be treated: it goes away on its own).
  3. Hemolytic – a consequence of the accelerated breakdown of hemoglobin. The liver does not have time to process the bilirubin contained in it: it is absorbed into the blood and spread throughout blood vessels to body tissues.
  4. True – occurs when liver tissue is damaged. The organ does not process bilirubin well: it is not excreted along with bile, but circulates freely in the blood. Through the capillaries, the enzyme enters the eye tissue and it turns yellow. Factors that provoke liver destruction include: viruses, toxins, tuberculosis, alcohol.

Yellow whites of the eyes - a clear sign deterioration of liver function. However, when yellow spots appear on them, this is already a reason to suspect the presence eye allergies or one of the pathologies of the visual organ:


If a person has yellow whites of the eyes, the reasons for the change in their color may be not only liver disease and visual system, but also other factors:

  • bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse);
  • improper diet;
  • eye strain while reading in poor lighting or working at the computer;
  • lack of proper sleep.

There are many reasons why the whites of the eyes turn yellow. But sometimes this color of the organs of the visual system is not a sign of pathology and does not require treatment. therapeutic measures(congenital yellowness of the whites of the eyes, infant jaundice).

Yellow whites of the eyes: associated symptoms, treatment methods

It is not easy to understand on your own why your eyes turned yellow. But if you pay attention to your overall health, you can help your doctor make a diagnosis faster.

The clinical manifestation of eye diseases, like liver diseases, has similar symptoms. To understand why the whites of the eyes have turned yellow, the doctor may prescribe these types of examinations to the patient.


After making a diagnosis, the specialist issues recommendations for treatment. If the cause of the yellowness of the whites of the eyes is a dermoid cyst, it is necessary surgery. The extent of the operation depends on the location of the pathology. Superficial cysts are removed by excision. Deeply located dermoids on the orbit are an indication for orbitotomy followed by excision of the cyst.

Pinguecula, as a rule, does not require urgent treatment measures. The exception is cases of complicated course of the disease. Prescribed drugs that have a moisturizing, softening and anti-inflammatory effect.

Possible use folk remedies(compresses, baths based on medicinal herbs). TO surgical treatment resort if a wen on the white of the eye is an aesthetic problem for a person.

If a diagnosis of “stationary nevus” is made, no treatment is carried out: it is enough to just observe it. For progressive forms of pathology, photo- and laser coagulation are used. If the whites of the eyes have a yellow tint - clinical manifestation pterygium, prescribed: drugs that moisturize the sclera of the eyes, corticosteroids, wearing sunglasses. The operation is performed when there is severe growth of the conjunctiva of the eye, in for cosmetic purposes. After it, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs is attributed, antibacterial agents(drops, ointments).

Once the cause of yellowing of the whites of the eyes is determined, it is important to begin treatment on time. Otherwise, the following complications may develop: liver failure, dysfunction of the lungs and biliary tract, pancreatitis, rupture bile ducts, partial or complete loss of vision.

Is it possible to prevent yellowing of the whites of the eyes?

Eye or liver disease can occur in anyone. But if you follow the rules to prevent their occurrence, the likelihood of maintaining health and natural eye color increases several times. What do we have to do:


When the whites of your eyes turn yellow, the first thing to do is consult a doctor. The sooner the cause of this phenomenon is identified and treatment is started, the lower the risk of complications.

The eyes are called the mirror of the soul, and the eyes often reflect physical state human body. For example, if the yolks of the eyes have changed color and acquired a yellowish tint, then it is possible that serious pathology. Diseases that are accompanied by such characteristic feature, can even be fatal. If you do not start treating the patient in a timely manner, the course of the disease can be unpredictable.

Quite often, people whose whites of their eyes have turned yellow do not bother to find the cause of such a pathological change. This indifference is due to the fact that this symptom does not bring pain and is not perceived by the patient as alarming symptom. However, this approach is incorrect and dangerous. It is imperative to establish the reason for the change in shell color, even if only some areas have acquired a yellow tint. Such transformations can occur against the background of:

  • Various types of infections;
  • Viral hepatitis;
  • Pathological changes in liver tissue;
  • Diseases of the biliary tract;
  • The appearance of neoplasms of benign and malignant nature.

Only a doctor's opinion

In order to determine whether a change in the color of the whites of the eyes is pathological, you need to consult a doctor and have a full examination. After this, we can already talk about whether it is worth panicking or whether there is no danger in the yellowing of the sclera. Interestingly, in some cases this color change is a consequence of congenital characteristics.

Below are the main reasons why yellow membranes of the eye may form.

Option #1. The problem is related to internal pathology body

Typically, the yellow whites of the eyes tell the patient that something is happening in his body. pathological changes. More often than others, liver diseases are diagnosed. Due to the fact that a colossal load falls on the cells of this organ, the liver is very important for normal operation the whole body. Therefore, at the slightest suspicion of its damage, you should visit a doctor.

For hepatitis of any type characteristic symptom is jaundice. This condition is also accompanied not only by a change in color skin, but also the mucous membrane of the eye. Most often, jaundice appears with hepatitis type A, but can accompany acute stage hepatitis C or B.

Option number 2: changes in the color of the sclera in a newborn

In newborn babies, yellowing of the whites of the eyes is very common. This is due to the fact that after birth the child’s intrauterine hemoglobin, which has a slightly different structure, begins to decompose. As a result, a large amount of bilirubin is released into the baby's blood. It is this pigment that gives the yellow tint to the skin and eyes. After a couple of weeks, everything returns to normal and the signs of physiological jaundice in newborns disappear without a trace. The sclera of the eyes becomes white again.

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