Vitamin C has important roles throughout your body, such as boosting your immune system and helping wounds heal. If you have low vitamin C levels or have risks for infection, your doctor might recommend that you take a daily supplement. Most people do not experience side effects from vitamin C supplementation, but you should know the possible complications, although yellowing of the eyes is not one of them.
Side Effects
Side effects from vitamin C supplements can include stomach upset, heartburn and headache. Diabetics might notice an increase in blood sugar levels after taking vitamin C supplements, and taking vitamin C supplements also can increase your risk for kidney stones, a condition that can cause significant pain in your back, stomach and groin until you pass the stone in your urine.
Jaundice
Although vitamin C supplements do not have any known connection to yellowing of the eyes, conditions such as jaundice can cause the discoloration. Jaundice occurs for many reasons, such as liver disorders, gallstones and other health conditions.
If you eat a diet high in beta carotene, you might have a yellow-orange tint to your skin, but this condition does not cause discoloration in the eyes. Foods rich in beta carotene include brightly colored foods such as carrots, spinach, green peppers and sweet potatoes.
Pinguecula
Another condition might cause a yellow spot to appear on your eye. This condition, called a pinguecula, does not discolor the entire white of your eye, but the growth and localized tissue will have a yellow tint. Over time, the pinguecula will grow, but you do not need to have the growth removed unless the pinguecula causes irritation or changes in your vision. The surgical procedure can cause significant pain, and the growth can return at some point after removal.
Considerations
Yellowing of the eyes requires medical treatment and you should contact your doctor immediately. Tell your doctor about your diet and the supplements you use, as well as the medications you take. This information, along with any additional symptoms, might help your doctor determine the cause of the discoloration. Your doctor then can recommend treatment to help resolve the yellowing and other effects of your condition.
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