Red or Yellow Eyes: Know 9 things your eyes can tell you about your health

Eyes are like the windows to our body. They can tell a lot about what is happening inside and have been used by doctors to evaluate the general health of a patient since times immemorial. In many diseases of the body, color of the eyes can change and be like a red flag indicating ill health. So, if your eyes are appearing red or yellow what does that tell you about the status of your health.

#1 Yellow Eyes: Eyes where the white part appears yellowish indicate the presence of jaundice. In conditions of the liver where there is an increase in bilirubin in the body, this deposits in the eye giving it the typical lemon-yellow tint. Conditions such as hepatitis, alcoholic and nonalcoholic fatty liver, gall stones, liver cirrhosis and liver or gall bladder or pancreatic cancer can all cause this condition.

#2 Yellow Eyes: An excessive intake of beta carotene which is a pigment found in yellow, orange, and green leafy fruits and vegetables (such as carrots, spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, sweet potatoes and broccoli) and multivitamin capsules can cause yellowing of eyes and skin. This may indicate an overdose of the micronutrient.

#3 Yellow Eyes: Severe nutritional deficiency and anorexia can also be a cause of yellowing of eye and skin. In general, a yellowish discoloration indicates an unhealthy metabolic state within the body.

#4 Yellow Eyes: Excessive smoking and exposure to outdoor pollution can also give a yellow tinge to our eyes. This is often a muddy yellow colour can happens die to direct interaction of smoke with the eye surface.

#5 Red Eyes: Eyes with dilated blood vessels on the white area are often seen in patients who are having high blood pressure. The blood vessels may have a tortuous zigzag appearance and give an angry look. Always check the blood pressure if eyes turn red repeatedly.

#6 Red Eyes: Allergies are a common cause of red eyes, particularly in children and young adults. A repeated red eye episode can indicate atopic conditions such as air borne and contact allergies. Eye allergies and allergies of the upper respiratory tract are often seen to coexist.

#7 Red Eyes: Redness of eyes may be a result of subconjunctival hemorrhage, a condition where there is a bleed from the blood vessels on the white part of the eye. This may be seen in cases of high blood pressure, bleeding disorders, severe vitamin C deficiency (Scurvy), or rarely some forms of blood cancer.   

#8 Red Eyes: Sometimes only some portion of the eye may appear red and is not due to a bleed. This condition called episcleritis is associated with autoimmune conditions of the body such as arthritis and lupus. Occasionally, worms in the intestinal system may also cause episodic redness of the eye due to episcleritis.

#9 Red Eyes: Redness in eyes is often a symptom of eye fatigue and dry eyes. Dry eyes may indicate a general lack of water in the body and risk of dehydration, in rare cases.  

This article is written by Dr. Digvijay Singh, Director, Noble Eye Care, Gurugram