What is the reason for yellowing eyes?

Yellowing of the eyes

Yellowing of the eyes is consideredA health condition known scientifically as jaundice , as the condition of jaundice is defined as the yellowing of the skin and the change in the color of the whites of the eyes to yellow, and this may be accompanied by yellowing of body fluids, and jaundice can affect people of any age, but the most vulnerable groups Often suffering from it is the category of infants, as nearly 60% of infants suffer from jaundice in the United States of America, and in general it can be said that jaundice appears as a symptom of a health problem that often appeared in the liver or bile duct It is worth noting that there are many symptoms and signs that accompany and indicate this health condition, including: a change in the color of the stool to become lighter in color, and a change in the urine to become darker, in addition to the feeling of itching, fatigue and general fatigue, a feeling of pain in the abdomen, and a fever Weight loss, vomiting. ^[1]

Causes of yellow eyes

The body destroys the red blood cells when the end of their life cycle or damage, and in fact these cells contain the compound known as hemoglobin , which is responsible for transporting oxygen to the various cells of the body, and results from the process of the body breaking down hemoglobin Within the process of breaking down red blood cells is a compound that is scientifically known as bilirubin , then the body transports the bilirubin to the liver and there it is associated with the bile, then it moves through the bile duct to the gastrointestinal tract, so that the body can get rid of it, either through stool or urine, with the need to know that the largest percentage is eliminated It is through stool, and in the event of a problem or health disorder in the liver or bile duct, bilirubin cannot transfer and pass through the aforementioned processes at the required speed, which ultimately leads to the accumulation of this substance in the blood, and this results in the appearance of the skin and the whites of the eyes in color. Yellow, ie the occurrence of a case of jaundice.^[2]

The causes that led to the sufferer's suffering from jaundice can be classified into problems at the level of the liver, others at the level of the bile duct, and finally the red blood cells being destroyed faster than the normal rate, that is, at a speed higher than the ability of the liver to get rid of the products of the process of breaking them. The most important reasons that lead to this: ^{[2] [3]}

• Liver disease , alcohol: , causes drinking alcohol for a long period of time in large quantities suffered liver damage and damage, and this is known as alcoholic liver disease, and should be pointed out that it also applies to toxic substances that are harmful to the liver.
• Blockage of the bile duct: as this results in the accumulation of bilirubin in the blood, and among the health conditions that lead to blockage of the bile duct is the infection of the bile duct or pancreas with cancer, as well as cases of suffering from gallstones , and primary cirrhosis Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis.
• Hepatitis: Such health problems cause the liver cells' ability to get rid of bilirubin weak, and it is worth noting that hepatitis may result from exposure to some types of viruses, and these cases constitute the majority of cases of hepatitis, and the patient may suffer from Hepatitis is a result of exposure to an autoimmune disease , and other reasons. In any case, hepatitis can be acute and may be chronic. Inflammation is considered chronic in cases where the patient’s suffering exceeds six months.
• Breastfeeding: Babies can suffer from jaundice a week after their birth, and this type of jaundice often cures alone without any medical intervention. In addition, there is what is known as neonatal jaundice, which is the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes of the newborn immediately after birth.
• Thalassemia: , and thalassemia is defined as one of the hereditary blood problems that occurs as a result of the body breaking down red blood cells in a way that exceeds the normal limit.
• Other causes: such as pancreatic cancer , anemia caused by Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, which is known among the general population as fecal matter, cirrhosis , sickle cell anemia , and liver cancer And others.

Complications of yellowing eyes

In fact, leaving jaundice without treatment in some cases is a cause for the appearance and suffering of the patient from some complications, for example, itching may result in the victim scratching his skin, and itching may cause him insomnia and the inability to sleep, and it is worth noting that most of the complications that the patient may suffer from It is attributed to the basic health problem that caused the jaundice and not the jaundice itself, for example, a person may suffer from severe bleeding that is difficult to control if the obstruction of the bile duct is the cause that led to jaundice, because such cases cause a lack of clotting factors responsible for stopping the bleeding. ^{[1] In} addition to that, there are some other complications that may appear in cases of jaundice , the most important of which can be summarized as follows: ^[4]

• An imbalance of the electrolyte level in the body.
• Anemia.
• Infection with Sepsis.
• Chronic hepatitis .
• Liver failure.
• Kidney failure.
• Hepatic encephalopathy.
• Cancer .

References

1. ^ ^{A b} "Everything You Need To Know About Jaundice" , www.medicalnewstoday.com The , Retrieved July 10, 2018. Edited by .
2. ^ ^{A b} "Jaundice In Adults Gender: " , Www.msdmanuals.com , Retrieved July 10, 2018. Edited by .
3. ↑ "What's Causing My Yellow Skin?" , www.healthline.com , Retrieved July 10, 2018. Edited.
4. ↑ “Jaundice in Adults (Hyperbilirubinemia) , ” www.medicinenet.com i>, Retrieved July 10, 2018. Edited.