Pterygium
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What is Pterygium?
Understanding About
Pterygium
Pterygium, a common ocular surface disease, remains poorly understood despite extensive research. Scientists are investigating its pathologic pathway, hereditary factors, and association with corneal irregularities and refractive issues. There’s a need for a standardized classification system to predict post-surgery recurrence rates. Ultraviolet exposure is a key risk factor, underscoring the importance of distinguishing between typical and atypical pterygia.
Early removal may be necessary to mitigate astigmatism and corneal aberrations. Conjunctival autografting is preferred due to its lower recurrence rates, with mitomycin C as a promising adjuvant option.
Pterygium involves alterations in ocular surface homeostasis, including stem cell proliferation, inflammation, and tissue disruption. Despite research efforts, uncertainties persist, necessitating ongoing investigation.
Symptoms
Treatments
Precautions
Symptoms
Pterygium symptoms include
- Irritation
- Redness
- Foreign body sensation
- Dryness
- Tearing
- Blurred vision
- Individuals with pterygium may experience cosmetic concerns due to the appearance of the growth on the eye.
Treatments
Treatments for Pterygium
- Bare Sclera Technique: This involves removing the pterygium tissue and leaving the sclera exposed. However, this technique is associated with high recurrence rates and complications.
- Conjunctival Autografting: In this procedure, a graft of conjunctival tissue is harvested and placed over the scleral bed after pterygium removal. Conjunctival autografting has been shown to have lower recurrence rates compared to the bare sclera technique.
- Amniotic Membrane Transplantation (AMT): AMT involves the use of amniotic membrane to cover the excised pterygium site. While it offers benefits such as reducing postoperative pain and providing a barrier for abnormal growth, it has been associated with higher recurrence rates compared to conjunctival autografting.
Precautions
Precautions for Pterygium
- Wear sunglasses with UV protection outdoors to reduce UV radiation exposure.
- Use protective eyewear during activities that increase exposure to dust and wind.
- Limit prolonged sun exposure, especially during peak hours.
- Use artificial tears or lubricating eye drops for dry eye symptoms.
- Get regular eye exams to monitor pterygium progression and intervene early if needed. These measures help reduce discomfort and minimize the risk of exacerbating the condition.
Types of Pterygium
Different Types of
Pterygium
Before Surgery
During the Surgery
After the Surgery
Before Surgery
How you prepare for Pterygium Surgery
- Control intraoperative bleeding with cautery or pressure.
- Apply brimonidine tartrate pre-surgery for safety.
- Understand and prepare for potential complications.
- Manage immediate post-op issues like graft edema.
- Monitor for vision-threatening complications like scleral thinning.
- Be cautious with adjuvant treatments like bevacizumab.
- Minimize UV exposure before surgery with sunglasses.
- Thoroughly examine the patient for atypical features.
- Consider pterygium characteristics and potential associations.
- Send excised tissue for histopathologic studies.
- Use conjunctival autografting with intraoperative MMC for optimal repair.
During the Surgery
How you prepare for Pterygium Surgery
- Control bleeding: Use cautery or pressure to minimize bleeding and improve surgical efficiency.
- Apply brimonidine tartrate: Enhance safety and comfort by whitening the conjunctiva before surgery.
- Understand complications: Be aware of potential issues like graft edema and corneal scarring.
- Monitor for serious complications: Watch for problems like scleral thinning, especially with certain treatments.
- Evaluate adjuvant treatments: Assess options like bevacizumab and cyclosporine A for safety and effectiveness.
- Ensure complete removal: Thoroughly excise altered limbal stem cells to address the root cause.
- Conduct detailed examination: Look for unusual features or corneal irregularities that may require adjustments.
- Consider histopathologic studies: Analyze excised tissue for insights into treatment planning.
- Optimize repair: Use conjunctival autografting and intraoperative mitomycin C to reduce recurrence risk.
- Use adjuvant treatments cautiously: Further research is needed to confirm their benefits in preventing complications.
After the Surgery
How you prepare for Pterygium Surgery
- Control bleeding during surgery with cautery or pressure.
- Use brimonidine tartrate for safer surgery.
- Manage post-op complications like graft edema and scarring with bandages and anti-inflammatory meds.
- Watch for serious issues like scleral thinning.
- Consider adjunct treatments like CsA and bevacizumab cautiously.
- Consider adjunct treatments like CsA and bevacizumab cautiously.
- Control bleeding during surgery with cautery or pressure.
- Use brimonidine tartrate for safer surgery.
- Manage post-op complications like graft edema and scarring with bandages and anti-inflammatory meds.
- Watch for serious issues like scleral thinning.
- Consider adjunct treatments like CsA and bevacizumab cautiously.
- Continue UV protection to prevent recurrence.
- Prioritize thorough post-op exams for any irregularities.
- Address related conditions like dry eye.
- Ensure complete removal of affected cells.
- Follow up with histopathologic studies and appropriate repair methods.
- Optimize adjunct treatments for effectiveness.
Pterygium FAQs
Pterygium
FAQS
Can Pterygium cause blindness?
Not necessarily. Pterygiums are typically minor disturbances, and they can appear without any associated symptoms. In the most severe cases, a pterygium will cause blurred or impaired vision and will need to be surgically removed from the patient’s eye. This can cause scarring on your cornea, but this is extremely rare.
Will a Pterygium go away on its own?
A pterygium will not go away on its own. The only way to remove a pterygium completely is through surgery. However, Visionary Eye Doctors provide comprehensive treatment plans to patients wanting to avoid surgery for their conditions. Depending on the severity of your condition, we’ll develop a treatment plan for you that is the least invasive, most stress-free option available.
Is Pterygium surgery painful?
Pterygium surgery typically causes little to no pain. We use local and topical anesthesia via eye drops and also prescribe an oral medication to help you relax prior to the surgery. You may feel a bit of dryness and feel a foreign body sensation, which will improve over the first few days. Read more about pterygium surgery and recovery here.
Is Pterygium Cancerous?
While a pterygium can appear quite scary, its presence is not an indication of cancer. In fact, pterygium cases are completely benign and are simply a fleshy growth that appears most commonly in individuals who experience prolonged exposure to sun rays in their eyes. Symptoms may be irritating, but with the right treatment plan, you can live a long, healthy life with a pterygium without worrying about more serious conditions arising as a result of its existence.
How long does it take for a Pterygium to heal?
The only way to remove a pterygium fully is through surgery. Recovery time varies depending on the severity of the case; however, most patients are advised to monitor progress for at least 12 months following their procedure. For patients not opting for surgery, treatment is advised as long as symptoms persist and disrupt the flow of daily activities.
Consult with your Visionary Eye Doctors specialist if you feel your condition has gone on for longer than necessary.
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