Yellow eyes can indicate a problem in the body. Yellow eyes are usually caused by impaired liver function, gallbladder, pancreas, or some other things.
In medical terms, yellow eyes are called scleral icterus. Sclera (sclera) is the white part of the eye. But actually what changes color is not the sclera, but the conjunctiva, which is the thin outer layer of the eye except the cornea.
Yellow eyes can be a symptom of some of the following diseases:
Jaundice
Yellow eye is one of the symptoms of jaundice. Jaundice occurs when there is too much bilirubin in the blood, which is a yellow substance derived from the breakdown of hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is an oxygen-carrying component in red blood cells. When red blood cells rupture, the hemoglobin breaks down into heme and globin. From this heme bilirubin originated. Bilirubin will then be processed in the liver, then into the bile duct, and finally discharged through feces. If one of these processes is interrupted, bilirubin will accumulate in the body and cause the skin, including the eyes, to turn yellow.
This disease can occur in infants, children, and also adults. Jaundice may indicate liver damage in adults and if not identified and treated, can cause liver failure. Whereas in newborns, jaundice is common because extra red blood cells begin to rupture soon after the baby is born. However, the liver is slow to process bilirubin. In breastfed infants, jaundice is thought to be caused by inadequate milk intake or the presence of substances in the milk that cause bilirubin to be metabolized more slowly by the baby's body.
Cirrhosis of the liver
Cirrhosis of the liver is scar tissue in the liver caused by long-term and continuous liver damage. Scarring replaces healthy tissue in the liver and prevents the liver from working properly. Symptoms that arise due to cirrhosis of the liver at an advanced stage, one of which is jaundice.
Cirrhosis can be caused by long-term alcohol abuse, chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C, fatty liver, destruction of the bile ducts (primary biliary cirrhosis), hardening and damage to the bile ducts (primary sclerosing cholangitis), parasitic infections, iron buildup in the body (hemochromatosis), genetic digestive disorders (Alagille's syndrome), Wilson's disease, liver cancer, and side effects of drugs.
Gallstones
The liver produces bile that is collected in the gallbladder and flowed through the bile ducts. The gallbladder is responsible for releasing bile to help the body digest fat. A person can experience jaundice if the bile duct is blocked. The blockage can be caused by several things, including gallstones.
Blockage by gallstones will cause right upper abdominal pain when the bile duct has been disrupted. Gallstones are caused by a number of things, including genes, weight, decreased movement of the gallbladder, diet, too much cholesterol in the blood, high bilirubin levels, and the inability of the gallbladder to empty themselves properly.
Pancreatic disorders
Pancreatic ducts and bile ducts unite to flow into the small intestine. If the pancreatic duct is blocked, bile may not flow properly and jaundice can occur. Pancreatic cancer and inflammation of the pancreas can cause this blockage to occur.
Blood disorders
Yellow eyes can also be caused by abnormalities in red blood cells so that they break. Blood disorders that can make yellow eyes include hemolytic anemia (early destruction of red blood cells), which can be caused by drugs, reactions due to mismatched blood transfusions, or sickle cell anemia.
In addition to illness, yellow eyes can also be caused by side effects of drugs, such as rifampin and isoniazid (to treat TB), chlorpromazine (to treat mental disorders), didanosine (for HIV treatment), isotretinoin, and herbal medicines. The use of drugs in the long run and high doses are more at high risk of causing side effects of the skin and yellow eyes.
The emergence of a disease that causes yellow eyes is a condition that needs special attention, especially if the yellow eyes are accompanied by other symptoms, such as abdominal pain, weakness, fever, vomiting of blood, bloody bowel movements, and frequent bruising. You are advised to consult a doctor immediately to get further examination and treatment, if you find any complaints.
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