FRCOphth, CertLRS.
Vision correction surgery @ Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi
+971 2 665 2051
Pterygium surgery
A Pterygium is an overgrowth of conjunctiva (the delicate layer of skin overlying the white of the eyeball), which occurs due to prolonged ultraviolet (UV) damage.
These growths start off small, and with time can grow onto the cornea (the clear window at the front of the eye). This process usually takes years to occur.
When does a pterygium need to be removed?
A Pterygium is treated surgically in one of the following scenarios:
1) the Pterygium grows onto the cornea and starts to affect your vision.
or
2) the Pterygium becomes inflammed and sore on a regular basis
or
3) the Pterygium is large enough to become a cosmetic concern.
What does pterygium surgery involve?
Surgical treatment of a Pterygium involves surgical excision of the Pterygium from the surface of the eye. The resulting wound is then covered by a small patch of conjunctiva that is harvested from the superior aspect of the globe of the eye. This patch is then fixed into place without sutures, using a biological glue.
The procedure is usually done under local anaesthesia and typically takes 30 minutes to perform. The eye is kept padded until the next day after surgery. The pad is removed in clinic and eyedrops are started at that point, usually for a month.
For a first time Pterygium operation, success rates are generally high, with there being a 10% chance of recurrence. If surgery is repeated then chances of recurrence are higher.