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The whites of the eyes, known as the sclera, can be an important health signal. When a person is healthy, the sclera is white. However, if the sclera turns yellow, this might indicate an underlying health problem. So, what are the causes of yellow eyes?
Leptospirosis
Alcoholism is one of the causes of yellow eyes. Excessive use of alcohol can harm one’s liver and lead to alcoholic liver diseases, such as hepatitis and cirrhosis. These diseases will cause jaundice, which turns sclera into yellow.
Subconjunctival Hemorrhage
The sclera is covered by a thin tissue called conjunctiva, which has a lot of small blood vessels. Those blood vessels can easily break. Blood oozes out as they rupture and fills the area between the conjunctiva and the sclera. As a result, some parts of the eyes may seem discoloured, yellow or slightly red when the leak is small. The eye might also appear bright red if the leak is too large, but it will turn yellow after a few weeks.
Hyperbilirubinemia
Jaundice can also be caused by hyperbilirubinemia. Hyperbilirubinemia occurs when the blood contains too much bilirubin. Bile blockage or liver illness can result in an overabundance of bilirubin.
Pancreatitis
Pancreatitis is the inflammation of the pancreas. Sometimes, patients with pancreatitis can also develop jaundice symptoms. This jaundice is usually caused by hepatocellular injury or associated biliary tract disease.
Leptospirosis
Leptospirosis is a blood infection caused by a bacterium called Leptospira. Leptospirosis infection can result from eating contaminated food or drinking unclean water. This disease will lead patients to jaundice.
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