Pterygium: symptoms, causes and treatment

What is pterygium

Pterygium (pterygium) is a condition when the membrane in the white of the eye turns cloudy. This condition often occurs in people who spend a lot of time outdoors, especially surfers. That is why, pterygium is also known as surfer's eye.

The growing tissue is pink in color and slightly raised in texture. It appears in the conjunctiva, which is the clear membrane that covers the eyelids and eyeballs.

This tissue usually grows in the area of ​​the eye close to the nose, and spreads towards the center of the eye. In some cases, tissue growths can reach the cornea of ​​the eye. If this condition occurs, vision can be impaired because the tissue blocks the entry of light through the pupil of the eye.

The tissue growth in the eye may look annoying, but it doesn't have the potential to become cancerous. The network may stop growing at some point in time.

This condition can occur in both eyes or one of them. If it occurs in both eyes, the condition is called bilateral pterygium. Although not considered a serious health condition, the symptoms that appear can be quite disturbing.

How common is this condition?

Pterygium is a fairly common condition. This condition is more common in people aged 20-40 years and over.

Pterygium is a disease that rarely affects the age group of children. In addition, this condition is also 2 times more common in male patients than female.

Overall, the incidence of pterygium in upland areas has decreased. Meanwhile, the incidence of pterygium is actually increasing in lowland areas.

Symptoms of the pterygium

Quoted from the American Academy of Ophthalmology, pterygium is a disease that does not always cause symptoms. Sometimes a person doesn't realize that he has this condition.

Pterygium can originate from the appearance of yellow spots on your eyes. This condition is also called pinguecula.

The following are some of the common symptoms of pterygium:

• Red eye
• Burning sensation and itching
• Eye irritation
• Blurred vision
• A feeling of sticking in the eye like a foreign object's winking
• Vision is obstructed when the membrane is large enough to cover the cornea

When should I see a doctor?

If you have any signs or symptoms above, feel disturbed in your daily activities, or other concerns, please consult your doctor.

Even if you experience the same condition, the symptoms that appear can vary from person to person. That is why, discuss it with your doctor to get the right treatment according to your condition.

The cause of the pterygium

Until now, the exact cause of the pterygium was still unknown. However, there are various triggers and risk factors that are thought to cause this condition to appear.

Some researchers believe that geographic position or location is a factor that plays an important role in causing pterygium. This is because the incidence of pterygium is quite high in countries close to the equator.

Furthermore, it is possible that ultraviolet radiation has an influence on the appearance of pterygium, due to the location of countries close to the equator.

Experts believe that ultraviolet radiation, particularly UV-B, has the potential to cause mutations in the tumor suppressor gene p53.

This condition results in excessive proliferation of cells in the eye, resulting in buildup and tissue formation.

Some of the risk factors that can cause pterygium include:

• Age, especially people aged 20-40 years and over.
• Live in a tropical country, or close to the equator
• Often work or do activities outside the room
• Frequent exposure to dust

Complications

What are the complications caused by this condition?

If the pterygium is not treated immediately, the types of complications that may occur are:

1. Diplopia

The tissue formation in the eye can also affect the eye muscles and cause diplopia or double vision. Diplopia occurs due to scar tissue in the medial rectus muscle of the eye.

2. Thinning of the cornea of ​​the eye

Another complication that needs to be watched out for is the thinning of the cornea of ​​the eye. Unlike diplopia, this condition appears only a few years after the pterygium is treated.

Apart from the two complications above, some of the other problems that may arise with the pterygium are:

• Disturbance and overall loss of vision
• Redness of the eyes
• Eye irritation
• Chronic wounds of the conjunctiva and cornea of ​​the eye

The percentage chance of pterygium to recur after surgery is 50-80 percent.

Pterygium diagnosis & treatment

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this condition diagnosed?

Pterygium is a condition that is generally quite easy to diagnose. The doctor can check by looking at the appearance of tissue growth in the eye. In addition, the doctor may also perform an examination of the eyelids.

Additional tests that may be needed to get an accurate diagnosis include:

• Visual acuity test: In this test, the doctor will ask you to read the letters on the board. Font sizes will vary and determine how sharp your eyesight is.
• Corneal topography test: A corneal topography test is done to measure changes in the curvature of the cornea of ​​the eye.
• Image capture test: This procedure is done by taking a photo of the tissue in the eye. Photos will be taken periodically to determine the speed of network growth

How to treat pterygium?

Generally, pterygium is a condition that does not require special treatment if the symptoms are mild and unobtrusive. However, if the presence of tissue starts to interfere with vision and cause discomfort, you can ask your doctor for a recommendation for appropriate treatment.

Actions taken by doctors to treat pterygium are:

• Eye drops, artificial tears, or eye ointments
• Use of vasoconstrictor eye drops
• Short-term use of steroid eye drops to help relieve inflammation

In serious cases of pterygium, when the tissue widens and interferes with vision, the doctor will recommend a surgical procedure to remove the pterygium.

If the tissue size exceeds 3.5 mm, you may have impaired vision and there is a risk of developing astigmatism or a cylindrical eye. However, the surgical procedure can only remove tissue. Its efficacy in overcoming cylindrical eyes is still uncertain.

In addition, pterygium is a condition that may come back at any time after the operation is complete. You should discuss with your doctor about the possibility of choosing surgical treatment if other medical treatments have not worked and you are at risk of losing your vision.

Here are some types of surgery to treat pterygium:

1. Technique bare sclera

This procedure is done by removing excess tissue from the lining of the eye. However, the percentage of the network's possibility to grow again is quite large, namely around 24-89 percent.

2. Conjunctival autograft technique

This technique has a much smaller percentage chance of relapse, which is 2 percent. The operation is done by transplanting the tissue in your body, generally taken from the superotemporal conjunctiva of the eye.

The tissue will then be placed in the sclera after the pterygium has been removed.

3. Amniotic membrane grafting

This technique is also an alternative so that this condition does not appear at another time.

4. Additional therapy

Some additional therapy will be given by the doctor to reduce the risk of the disease recurrence. Some of them are MMC therapy and beta irradiation .

Home remedies

What are some lifestyle changes or home remedies that can be done to treat pterygium?

Here are lifestyle and home remedies that can help you deal with pterygium:

1. Wear sunglasses

Sunglasses are protection that you must have to prevent pterygium. Effective sunglasses protect the eyes from UV radiation.

Make sure you always wear sunglasses when you are outdoors, even on cloudy days. This is because cloudy clouds will not block UV radiation.

Choose sunglasses that can block 99-100 percent of ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) rays.

2. Rest your eyes

Don't force your eyes to work too hard. Every now and then give a break for your eyes on the sidelines of your busy schedule.

3. Use eye drops

Artificial eye drops and tears can help moisturize your eyes, especially if you live in a hot, dry-prone area.

4. Avoid pollution and dust

Exposure to outdoor pollution, dust, and wind can increase your risk of irritation, so other problems can occur in your eyes.

Substances in air pollution, such as carbon monoxide, arsenic, and asbestos, are harmful to your overall health, especially your eyes.

As much as possible, avoid exposure to pollution and dust by wearing glasses when you are outdoors.

5. Clean the eyes

If you are forced to do outdoor activities and are often exposed to pollution, cleaning your eyes with clean water is the right way to avoid pterygium. Water can help calm your eyes and reduce the risk of irritation.

If you have any questions, consult your doctor for the best solution to your problem.