Pterygium

What is pterygium?

Pterygium is a pinkish, fleshy growth that starts from the white part of your eye (conjunctiva) toward the clear, window-like cornea. It is common in Australia due to sunlight exposure. It is more common in people who work outdoors and in surfers.

Sometimes it can become inflamed and cause irritation, redness, changing the curvature of the cornea and resulting in decrease in visual acuity. When it is advanced, it can cover your visual axis and leads to worsening vision.

You can prevent development of pterygium by wearing a hat when outdoors and wearing wrap around sunglasses.

What is the treatment for pterygium?

Treatment for pterygium typically begins with non-surgical measures, such as using lubricating eye drops or ointments to reduce irritation and inflammation. If the pterygium causes significant discomfort as it is frequently inflamed, red and painful, causes visual disturbances, or is cosmetically bothersome, surgical removal may be considered.

Dr Li routinely performs excision of the pterygium followed by a graft of healthy tissue to prevent regrowth. This procedure is usually performed on an outpatient basis and has a high success rate in preventing recurrence. After surgery, Dr Li will provide you with advice to use eye drops and how to look after your eye.

What to expect after pterygium surgery?

Dr Li commonly utilises a sutureless technique and a bandage contact lens for pterygium surgery. This minimises any pain that patients may experience after pterygium surgery. You will have an eye patch on overnight and you can remove the eye patch the next day. It is recommended that you take regular pain relief tablets after surgery for the first couple of days after surgery. The eye can look more red after surgery but this usually resolves after a couple of weeks. Your vision will be slightly blurry for the first couple of days, but the blurriness resolves quickly.