Pterygium Surgery

If you have developed a pterygium which causes a vision difficulty and your general health is convenient, your doctor may recommend surgery.

How many trips do I need to take abroad to complete the procedure? 

You will need 1 trip abroad to complete the whole procedure, and follow up with your local doctor. 

How long should you stay in the hospital after the surgery? 

Overnight stay is not required

How many days should I travel/stay abroad to do the treatment?

2 to 3 days

Patients will be required to fast or eat a light meal while preparing the surgery. If patients wear contact lenses, they may be asked to not wear them for at least 24 hours before the procedure. As they will be lightly sedated, doctors will require them to arrange someone to drive after the surgery, as they are not able to drive themselves.

Before the surgery, doctors sedate the patients and numb their eyes to prevent discomfort during the pterygium surgery. According to the typical pterygium surgery technique the doctors use, they start to remove the pterygium along with some associated conjunctiva tissue. Once the pterygium is removed, it will be replaced with a graft of associated membrane tissue to prevent the pterygium will growth again. Pterygium surgery generally takes no more than 30 to 45 minutes.

Recovery time of pterygium surgery may take anywhere between a couple of weeks to a couple of months. During this period, the signs of redness or discomfort should be totally gone. After the surgery, an eye patch or pad is applied to prevent infection. It's important not to rub the eyes to avoid dislodging the attached tissue of the eyes. In addition, some aftercare instructions will be provided for consideration during recovery, including cleaning procedures, antibiotics, and follow-up visits.

Although pterygium surgery generally provides successful and smooth results, some risks and complications may develop, such as:

• Infection
• Conjunctival chemosis
• Graft edema
• Epithelial inclusion cysts
• Photophobia
• Secondary glaucoma
• Recurrence

The following side effects may occur after pterygium surgery:

• Redness
• Swelling
• Itching
• Irritation
• Pain or discomfort
• Blurring of vision

Surgery of pterygium is successfully performed and treated the pterygium with high satisfaction rates and with a less than 1 percent recurrence rate.

As can be seen in pterygium surgery before and after the pictures, patients who undergo this surgery get rid of this condition, and this leads to high satisfaction and growing quality of life.

What Is Pterygium Surgery?

A pterygium is the growth of the conjunctiva or mucous membrane that covers the white part of the eye. If this condition begins to affect the clarity of vision, it should be treated with the help of the pterygium surgery.

Is Pterygium Surgery Painful?

The eye area is anesthetized during surgery, so patients do not feel any pain. If a postoperative pain or discomfort occurs, prescription painkillers can be used to relieve it.

What Does Pterygium Surgery Cost?

The cost of pterygium surgery varies depending on the location of the procedure performed, the scope of the operation, patient’s health insurance conditions, and possible additional costs.

This content is written and reviewed by our medical content team in January, 2019.