Abstract. Ocular changes are associated with a wide spectrum of liver diseases. The early identification of ocular changes may provide clues to the presence of liver disease and lead to early diagnosis, which is particularly important in liver disorders where effective treatments can prevent hepatic injury.
Yellow Whites of Your Eyes
When your skin and eyes look yellow, that's called jaundice. It often means you have liver problems and is caused by high levels of bilirubin, something your liver makes more of when it's inflamed or damaged. Bad diet, cancer, infection, and chronic alcohol abuse can all damage your liver.
Jaundice (yellowing of eyes and skin) Cirrhosis for Patients
A liver that is working poorly cannot get rid of bilirubin, a substance that produces a yellowing of the eyes and skin called jaundice. Too much alcohol and some medicines can also lead to jaundice.
Night blindness may ensue. Vitamin A deficiency may be seen in cirrhosis since liver is the organ where vitamin A is deposited[2,3]. This is a well-documented state in primary biliary cirrhosis and alcoholic cirrhosis. Color blindness may be seen in cirrhosis especially in alcoholic type.
People with compromised liver health such as fatty liver disease, hepatitis, cirrhosis or alcohol induced liver inflammation are also at risk of vision loss and poor eye health.
Signs and symptoms of acute liver failure may include: Yellowing of your skin and eyeballs (jaundice)
Pain in your liver itself can feel like a dull throbbing pain or a stabbing sensation in your right upper abdomen just under your ribs. General abdominal pain and discomfort can also be related to swelling from fluid retention and enlargement of your spleen and liver caused by cirrhosis.
Many skin conditions – from acne to eczema to psoriasis – can be linked to poor liver function. A tired, overworked liver can lead to dry, itchy skin, acne, and a dull complexion. Everything you eat, drink, and consume is processed by your liver, so it's important to keep it as healthy as possible.
Many diseases often begin with little or no obvious symptoms, yet they can be picked up in a routine eye test. If spotted early, a diagnosis of one of these devastating illnesses can be life-saving. We recommend having an eye test every two years to check the health of your eyes.
This test will assess your ability to detect flashes of light in your peripheral (outer) vision. Visual field tests are often used to detect early stages of glaucoma or any conditions that could be associated with headaches and other health issues.
Your eyes act as an early warning system to let you know when something is wrong and you need medical attention. Diabetes, for instance, can cause blurred vision when symptoms began to flare up. Dim or double vision may be an early sign you are suffering a stroke. Blood vessels are especially revealing.
A low level of serum albumin suggests your liver is not functioning properly. A blood test may also look for signs of abnormal blood clotting, which can indicate significant liver damage.
As the liver becomes more severely damaged, more obvious and serious symptoms can develop, such as: yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice) swelling in the legs, ankles and feet caused by a build-up of fluid (oedema) swelling in your abdomen caused by a build-up of fluid known as ascites.
Liver failure occurs when your liver isn't working well enough to perform its functions (for example, manufacturing bile and ridding your body of harmful substances). Symptoms include nausea, loss of appetite, and blood in the stool. Treatments include avoiding alcohol and avoiding certain foods.
You likely won't notice an enlarged liver on your own. In some severe cases, you might notice a feeling of bloating or fullness in your belly, or an ache in your upper right abdomen, where your liver is. It's more likely your healthcare provider will discover it during an exam.
Stage 1: Inflammation
In the early stages of liver disease, the liver will become swollen or inflamed as the body's natural response to injury. Liver inflammation, or hepatitis, can also occur when there are more toxins in the blood than the liver is able to manage. The earlier the diagnosis, the better.
A group of blood tests called liver function tests can be used to diagnose liver disease. Other blood tests can be done to look for specific liver problems or genetic conditions. Imaging tests. An ultrasound, CT scan and MRI can show liver damage.
Connected Problems
Blurry vision, myopia, floaters in the eyes, dry eyes, and color blindness are all connected, to some extent, with liver blood deficiencies. This deficiency can occur due to scarring of the liver or anemia.
When acute liver failure can't be reversed, the only treatment may be a liver transplant. During a liver transplant, a surgeon removes your damaged liver and replaces it with a healthy liver from a donor.
Fatty liver disease is reversible. If you stop drinking alcohol for some time (months or years), your liver should return to normal.