Is Eye Discoloration a Sign of Liver Problems?
After years of heavy drinking, many mental and physical health problems related to the damaging effects of alcohol can start to be noticeable even to others, including in the eyes of the drinker. If you’re wondering, “What do jaundice eyes look like?”, this condition, in which the whites of the eyes are yellow, is often caused by liver problems due to drinking, and it’s a sign of more serious health issues. These signals of liver disease are a clear warning flag when rehab is needed for alcohol addiction and a reminder that significant changes are required to avoid even worse health problems in the near future.
Table of contents
» What Does Eye Discoloration Typically Look Like?
» How Can Alcohol Use Contribute to Liver Damage and Eye Discoloration?
» When Should You See a Doctor About Eye Discoloration?
» Does Reducing Alcohol Consumption Improve Liver Function?
» Key Takeaways on What Do Jaundice Eyes Look Like
» Resources
What Does Eye Discoloration Typically Look Like?
If you’re wondering, “What do jaundice eyes look like?” the most obvious thing will be a distinctive yellow tint of the whites of the eyes. So, what causes this? This yellowing problem, which can also affect the skin, happens because the liver can’t function normally anymore, due to damage, inflammation, or scarring.
Instead of processing everything like normal, a damaged liver can’t fully keep up with breaking down red blood cells and processing a yellow pigment called bilirubin, which is used to make bile for the digestive system. This causes the pigment to build up in the bloodstream, which then causes a yellowing of the person’s skin and eyes, commonly known as jaundice.
If someone suddenly starts to experience the symptoms of jaundice, it should be seen as an outwardly visible sign that something is wrong with their liver, and that means they should see medical professionals immediately to determine what’s going on and the extent of liver damage to plan out a course of treatment.
Yellow eyes can be caused by many different things, including:
- Hepatitis
- Gallstones
- Drinking too much
- Medications that are hard on the liver, such as acetaminophen, steroids, penicillin, and some birth control pills or treatments for certain mental disorders.
- Liver infection from parasites
- A transfusion of blood that’s the wrong type.
- Sickle cell anemia
- Malaria (a parasite most commonly spread by a mosquito bite)
- Cirrhosis, which is scar tissue of the liver
- Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- Anemia (shortage of healthy red blood cells)
- Liver, pancreatic, or gallbladder cancer
- Bile duct diseases
- Ulcerative colitis
- Pancreatitis
- Gilbert syndrome (a rare condition where the liver doesn’t make enough enzymes to break down and process bilirubin)
How Can Alcohol Use Contribute to Liver Damage and Eye Discoloration?
Among the many warning signs of alcohol abuse are severe liver problems due to the critical role the liver plays in breaking down substances in the body. Over time, the toll of processing alcohol can cause inflammation, damage, and scarring of the liver, which makes it harder for the organ to keep up with its normal duties, and that can also lead to jaundice, or yellowing of the eyes and skin, as things begin to build up in the bloodstream.
Liver failure occurs when the liver begins to shut down, while liver diseases indicate the person’s organ is damaged or unhealthy, but it’s still functioning to the best possible extent. Liver damage can be caused by many different things, including:
- An extended period of heavy drinking or alcohol addiction.
- Inflammation from hepatitis B or C
- Fatty liver disease is due to being overweight, having diabetes, or suffering from high blood pressure or cholesterol.
- Some autoimmune or genetic disorders
- Effects of certain medications or drugs
- Cancer
Most often, people won’t start to show the telltale signs of yellowed eyes caused by jaundice until their livers are already severely damaged and are having significant problems. Early symptoms of liver problems can include things like:
- Generally feeling unwell or feeling like things are “off.”
- Weakness and fatigue
- Stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
- Poor appetite
- Muscle cramps
As liver disease advances and the person eventually begins to suffer from liver failure, their eyes can suffer from many problems beyond the yellowing caused by jaundice. Eye problems related to liver damage can include yellow or dry eyes, vision problems caused by a vitamin A deficiency, vision loss, and issues with the cornea, lenses, and optic nerves.
When Should You See a Doctor About Eye Discoloration?
Now that you know the answer to “What do jaundice eyes look like?”, what should you do if you notice this eye discoloration? Any eye discoloration that is new, getting worse, or includes symptoms such as pain, vision problems, or discharge from the eyes should be promptly checked out by medical professionals to determine what’s causing it and what can be done to treat the underlying problems.
Some people will notice symptoms such as sensitivity to light, swelling, gray or brown spots on the whites of the eyes, yellowing, and even changes in iris color, which may indicate other underlying issues. That’s why you’ll want to get checked out as soon as possible to figure out what’s causing these new or worsening eye symptoms and determine what can be done to prevent permanent damage or even more problems shortly.
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Does Reducing Alcohol Consumption Improve Liver Function?
Alcohol-related liver disease is a common consequence of years of heavy drinking. Unfortunately, most people won’t start to notice symptoms of this problem until the liver is already damaged by drinking. When they finally begin to feel symptoms, they might notice things like:
- Feeling unwell
- Poor appetite and weight loss
- Jaundice (yellowing of the whites of the eyes and skin)
- Ankle or stomach swelling
- Confusion
- Fatigue and drowsiness
- Vomiting blood
- Noticing blood in the stools
Alcohol is hard on all parts of the body, especially when heavy drinking for long periods of time. Still, it’s particularly tough on the liver, which is responsible for filtering out and breaking down toxins like alcohol and aiding digestion. The liver is capable of healing itself to some extent and can even regenerate healthy tissue. However, this natural process can’t happen if the person continues to expose their liver to more alcohol and keeps drinking like everything’s OK.
If someone is suffering from liver disease, they will likely be told they need to stop drinking forever, to prevent even more damage and to give their liver a chance to partially or fully heal and recover from the previous damage. That’s why many people realize they need to help their loved ones who are struggling with addiction by staging an intervention for an alcoholic and helping them get professional treatment to overcome their addiction.
Key Takeaways on What Do Jaundice Eyes Look Like
- Liver disease and damage can make it hard for the organ to fully break down bilirubin, a pigment that is used to create bile.
- A buildup of bilirubin in the bloodstream leads to yellowing of the eyes and skin known as jaundice.
- Jaundice is just an outwardly visible symptom of liver damage that is often caused by years of heavy drinking.
- Liver disease can cause many problems for people with alcohol addiction and can even lead to death in severe cases.
- Quitting drinking can help give the liver the chance to heal and prevent even worse damage in the future.
You know what do jaundice eyes look like, and that liver damage and disease can cause many other problems and threaten the lives of people who keep drinking. It’s important to get help as soon as possible to give yourself a chance to heal and prevent more problems from alcohol. Call the team at WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Rehab today at 877-855-3470 to learn how we can help you achieve lasting recovery.
Resources
- All About Vision – How Does Liver Failure Affect Your Eyes?
- WebMD – Yellow Eyes
- NHS Inform – Alcohol-Related Liver Disease
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
