Pterygium removal
pterygium · surfer's eye · growth on the eye · pterygium surgery
The surgeon removes a growth of tissue that spreads onto the cornea. Usually a small piece of your own eye tissue is placed over that spot.
When the growth gets bigger, blocks your vision, causes irritation, or bothers you by how it looks.
⏱ Duration: surgery usually takes 30 to 60 minutes; you usually go home the same day
Be sure to tell your doctor
How to prepare
- Tests. Usually blood tests and an exam are needed. The clinic will give you a list.
- Medicines. Do not stop your medicines on your own. Tell the doctor.
- Getting home. Have someone take you home. You cannot drive.
- Makeup. No makeup on the day of surgery.
What to bring
- Your ID
- Test results
- A list of your medicines
- Sunglasses
- Someone to go with you
How it goes
- Numbing drops are put in your eye, sometimes with an injection near the eye
- A small device holds your eyelids open
- The surgeon separates and removes the growth
- A piece of your own tissue is stitched or glued over the spot
- Your eye is covered with a patch
What you'll feel
- During surgery, you feel pressure but not pain
- For a few days, it feels like sand in the eye, with stinging and watering
- Redness of the eye lasts a few weeks
Afterwards
- Use the drops exactly as the doctor said
- Do not rub your eye
- Wear sunglasses outdoors
- Checkups as the doctor plans. Stitches are removed or dissolve on their own
- Protect your eyes from the sun. This lowers the risk of the growth coming back
Contact a doctor straight away if
- Severe pain that keeps getting worse
- Pus from the eye
- Sudden worse vision
- A stitch came apart or the tissue piece moved
Common questions
Can pterygium come back?
Yes, sometimes. The tissue graft and sun protection lower this risk.
Do I have to have surgery?
A small growth is often just watched. Surgery is advised if it grows or gets in the way.