Yellow eyes are not normal and usually signal an underlying issue. “Healthy eye tissue looks white, and yellowing of the sclera could mean an underlying health condition.”

The change happens when the body has too much bilirubin, a yellow pigment formed when red blood cells break down. Normally, the liver filters bilirubin and turns it into bile, which exits the body through digestion.

When bilirubin builds up in the blood, the skin and eyes can turn yellow. This process is often linked to liver or bile duct problems, but other conditions may also play a role.

Doctors note that yellow eyes are “normally due to a simple benign cause signifying a problem elsewhere in the body but sometimes yellowish eyes could mean something more serious.”

In short, while yellow eyes might not always be dangerous, they are a warning sign that the body isn’t clearing waste properly and should be checked by a medical professional.