A yellow tint in the corners of your eyes can be unsettling, prompting health concerns. While this symptom can sometimes indicate a serious underlying condition, it is often due to harmless causes. Understanding the reasons behind this discoloration can help guide appropriate action.
Benign Explanations for Yellow Corners
Localized yellowing in the white part of your eye, the sclera, can result from several non-serious conditions. These are typically confined to the eye’s surface and do not suggest systemic health issues.
A common reason for a yellowish patch is a pinguecula, a yellowish-white bump on the conjunctiva, the clear membrane covering the white of your eye. These growths often form near the nose or on the outer side. Prolonged exposure to sunlight, wind, and dust are common culprits, leading to protein, fat, or calcium deposits. Pingueculae are generally harmless, though some individuals might experience irritation or a feeling of something in the eye.
A related condition is a pterygium, a fleshy, wedge-shaped growth similar to a pinguecula, but with the potential to grow over the cornea, the clear front surface of the eye. Pterygia are also linked to chronic exposure to UV light, wind, and dust. While a pterygium typically begins in the corner of the eye, its extension over the cornea can affect vision if it obstructs the pupil or alters the cornea’s shape.
Small, harmless yellow deposits in the conjunctiva can also result from fat or lipid accumulation. Additionally, if you have experienced a subconjunctival hemorrhage (broken blood vessel), the healing process can cause the red patch to turn yellow as the blood breaks down, similar to a bruise. This yellow tint is a temporary part of the eye’s natural healing.
Jaundice and Systemic Causes
While localized yellowing in the eye’s corners is often benign, widespread yellowing of the entire white part of the eye, scleral icterus, is a significant sign of jaundice. Jaundice indicates bilirubin accumulation in the bloodstream, a yellow pigment produced when red blood cells naturally break down. Normally, the liver processes this bilirubin, converting it into bile and eliminating it from the body.
If the liver is unable to process bilirubin effectively or if bile ducts are blocked, bilirubin levels can rise, leading to yellow discoloration of the skin and eyes. This can be a symptom of various underlying liver conditions, such as hepatitis (inflammation of the liver) or cirrhosis (severe scarring of the liver tissue). Gallstones can also block bile ducts, preventing bilirubin excretion and causing buildup. Certain medications, excessive alcohol consumption, and genetic conditions like Gilbert’s syndrome can impair the liver’s ability to process bilirubin, resulting in jaundice.
Beyond liver and bile duct issues, other systemic conditions can also lead to increased bilirubin and yellowing of the eyes. Hemolytic anemia, for example, destroys red blood cells faster than they are produced, releasing excess bilirubin. This rapid breakdown overwhelms the liver’s capacity to process bilirubin, leading to jaundice. Unlike localized yellowing, jaundice typically affects the entire sclera and is often accompanied by other systemic symptoms.
When to Seek Medical Advice
Recognizing when yellowing of the eyes warrants medical attention is important. If the yellowing extends beyond the corners to the entire white part of your eye, or if it persists or worsens, consulting a healthcare professional is advisable. This generalized discoloration indicates jaundice, which requires medical evaluation to determine the underlying cause.
It is especially important to seek medical attention if yellowing is accompanied by other systemic symptoms. These may include unexplained fatigue, dark urine, pale or clay-colored stools, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, unexplained weight loss, or itchy skin. Sudden onset of yellow eyes, or any associated changes in vision, should also prompt a doctor’s visit.
A healthcare professional can conduct tests to measure bilirubin levels and assess liver function, helping to diagnose the specific cause of the yellowing. Early diagnosis and treatment are important for conditions that cause jaundice, as some can lead to serious complications if left unaddressed. Any new or concerning eye discoloration should be evaluated by a healthcare professional to ensure proper diagnosis and care.