A Pterygium is a fleshy growth that grows from one corner of the eye and starts encroaching upon the cornea. It starts from the edge of the eye. The rate at which it grows can vary greatly. Sometimes it grows rapidly enough to warrant a procedure and other times it takes years before anything needs to be done. It is overall a harmless growth and does not have any long-lasting negative impact on the eye.
The exact cause is unknown. It is known to occur in individuals who have increased exposure to UV light. It is thus seen in individuals who spend more time outdoors. In India, we see this condition more in farmers. It is known that pterygium occurs in individuals who have increased exposure to the following
It is seen twice as frequently in males as compared to females.
In the initial stages of the pterygium patients may experience some discomfort like irritation and watering. At this time some eye drops can be given.
As the pterygium grows it may have to be surgically removed. The decision to operate could be for both medical as well as cosmetic reasons. There is no other treatment to make this fleshy mass growing over the eye disappear.
After giving local anaesthesia the fleshy mass is removed scraping it from the corneal surface. Because the pterygium may recur two additional procedures are done. The first is the application of a substance called Mitomycin C. This substance kills the regenerating cells and prevents recurrence. This substance should be used with caution. The second procedure which is done to prevent recurrence is called a conjunctival autograft. Here a small piece of the conjunctiva is removed from another part of the same eye and placed and sutured or stuck to the affected area.
The eye is patched with ointment and the patch is removed the next day. Many a time a contact lens is also placed on the eye to give comfort to the patient and this lens is removed after a few days. The patient may experience some itching and watering for a few days. Congestion may persist for up to a week to 10 days.
The pterygium surgery is done under local anaesthesia and takes about 20 minutes per pterygium. The cost of pterygium surgery would depend on
Usually, the surgery costs around Rs 35000 per pterygium.
In the early stages of pterygium patients may experience
When patients are uncomfortable following drops can be used
As mentioned above the initial stages of pterygium can be managed with eye drops. The later stages, however, require surgery. The pterygium will not go away just by putting eye drops. The only way it can be treated is by performing a pterygium removal.
Doctors at Eye Solutions have been performing a pterygium surgery for the past 15 years. We can perform the following
All the above surgeries can be performed using glue instead of sutures.