Pterygium (pronounced tur-IJ-ee-um) is an abnormal tissue growth that extends from the corner of the eye toward the center of your eye.
Pterygium (pronounced tur-IJ-ee-um) is an abnormal tissue growth that extends from the corner of the eye toward the center of your eye. The appearance of a pterygium can vary from a small, almost unnoticeable tissue mass to a large, red, noticeable and irritating growth.
Download a pamphlet about AMNIOGRAFT®Protecting your eyes from prolonged sun exposure is the best prevention method. When outdoors, wear a hat with a brim and UV coated sunglasses to block the sun’s harmful UV rays. These precautions are even more important if you live in a tropical or subtropical area, if you work outside, or if you participate in outdoor activities like fishing, skiing, or gardening.
It is possible that a patient with a pterygium has no symptoms at all. Other patients have a variety of symptoms including redness, swelling, itching, irritation, and blurred vision. Vision can be effected if the pterygium grows to cover the center of the eye or if the irregular tissue grows and restricts the eye’s movement.
Treatment depends on the symptoms. You can treat symptoms with over the counter artificial tears or topical lubricating drops and/or ointments. Your doctor can also prescribe short-term use of topical corticoste anti-inflammatory drops when symptoms are not relieved by over the counter medications. It is also wise to protect your eyes from UV rays. If over the counter and prescription medications do not alleviate your symptoms or if you want a better cosmetic appearance, a pterygium can be surgically removed.
Your pterygium can be surgically removed in an outpatient setting under local or topical anesthesia. Your surgeon will remove all of the pterygium tissue from the surface of your eye. In order to help the area around the pterygium heal, your surgeon will treat the surface of your eye by covering the area where the pterygium was removed with AMNIOGRAFT®.
