Patient Information

Pterygium

What is a Pterygium?

Pterygium (pronounced tur-IJ-ee-um), is a growth of pink, fleshy tissue on the conjunctiva, the clear tissue that lines your eyelids and covers your eyeball. It usually forms on the side closest to your nose and grows toward the pupil area on the cornea.

It can look scary, but it isn’t cancer. The growth might spread slowly during your life or stop after a certain point. In extreme cases, it can cover your pupil and cause vision problems.

The growth can occur in one eye or both. Though it isn’t usually a serious condition, it can cause annoying symptoms. You might feel like you have something in your eye. Or it may get red and irritated and require medical or surgical treatment. You might also feel self-conscious because people may ask you about your eye being red all the time.

What Are the Symptoms of a Pterygium?

Often there are no symptoms, it just appears & may look unpleasant. 

When there are symptoms, your eye might:

  • Burn
  • Feel gritty
  • Itch
  • Feel like you have something in it
  • Look red

If the growth travels to the pupil area of your eye, it could cause blurry vision.

Before it appears, you might notice a related condition called a pinguecula (pronounced   pin-gwek-yoo-la). This is a yellowish patch or lump on the conjunctiva (surface of your eye) and can get red if irritated.

What Causes a Pterygium?

The things which increase your chances of developing a Pterygium include: 

  • Lots of exposure to sunlight / ultraviolet light (and not wearing sunglasses when outdoors)
  • Dry eyes
  • Irritants like dust and wind

You’re most likely to get it if you live near the equator and you’re a man between 20 and 40. But it can affect anyone who lives in a sunny place.

You get a pinguecula the same way - lots of time in the sun without eye protection such as sunglasses (wraparound sunglasses are the best protection). Your eye's tears may not evenly cover a pinguecula which can cause your eyes to feel dry and gritty, so it might feel like you have something stuck in it. It may become red.

Will I Need Surgery?

If the Pterygium is progressively increasing in size, interferes with your vision, or is not cosmetically acceptable to you, Hills Eye Surgery can offer removal as an outpatient procedure.

Like any surgery, there may be complications. These include:

  • Return of a more aggressive growth (recurrence)
  • Scars

Surgery is usually only performed if:

  • The pterygium is affecting your vision 
  • The look of the pterygium bothers you
  • the pterygium is progressively increasing in size

The procedure typically takes 30 to 45 minutes. You’ll probably wear an eye patch for a day. You can return to work or normal activities in a few days after surgery.

Steroid eye drops may be used for several weeks. This will ease inflammation and make it less likely for a new lesion to form.

If you do have the operation, pay careful attention to your eye for the next year. Most growths that reoccur will return within the first 12 months after surgery. 

After surgery it is important to always wear wraparound sunglasses when outdoors.

How is a Pterygium diagnosed & treated?

At Hills Eye Surgery the front your eye will be examined carefully with a special microscope called a slit lamp to diagnose and record the size of the pterygium.

You probably won’t need treatment if your symptoms are mild. If the condition causes temporary redness or irritation, we will be able to suggest:

  • Over-the-counter lubricating eye drops or an ointment, to help with irritation.
  • Prescription eye drops to ease redness, itching, swelling, and pain

Can you prevent a Pterygium?

Yes by wearing sunglasses every day, including overcast days since clouds don’t stop ultraviolet (UV) light. Choose sunglasses that block 99%-100% of both ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation.

Wraparound styles provide the best shield against ultraviolet light, dust, and wind. 

Choose a hat with a brim to protect your eyes from UV light as well.