A pterygium is a pinkish, triangle shaped tissue that grows on the surface of the cornea. It starts at the inner corner of the eye and grows toward the center. Some grow slowly throughout a person’s life, while others may eventually stop. In extreme cases, it can affect vision by covering the pupil of the eye.
The exact cause is unknown. The main risk factor is high exposure to sunlight, sand, and wind. It is more common in men and in adults aged 20-40. To reduce your risk, you should wear sunglasses or hats in areas with direct sunlight.
Pterygia are visible, triangle-shaped growths on the surface of the eye. They may be white or pink in color.
A pterygium can be removed by surgery. However, this is only recommended if the growth affects vision. The pterygium may affect vision if it covers the pupil or if it becomes irritated by smoke or dust.
A pterygium can be removed for cosmetic reasons. This is not advised because it often grows back. To make it less noticeable, doctors may instead advise eye drops. These reduce irritation and redness.
No. Surgery to remove the pterygium is the only treatment.
Only 1 day.
At Aravind, we do a special surgery using something called “conjunctival autograft”. In this procedure, there is a very low chance that it will grow back.
For 3 weeks
After 3 weeks.
Pterygium removal surgery is not used to improve vision. It can only prevent the vision loss that would result if the pterygium covered the pupil.
