Pterygium Surgery

Recommended For Pterygium Surgery

Patients who regularly take aspirin or other blood thinners or lack a coagulation factor are not a good candidate for pterygium surgery. After detailed examination by doctors, it is decided whether patients are suitable for surgery.

Not Recommended For Pterygium Surgery

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

Number Of Trips Abroad

1 trip

Discharge From Hospital

Overnight stay is not required

Minimum Stay

2 to 3 days

Overview

Pterygium is a triangular, fleshy tissue layer extending from the conjunctiva and covering the white part of the eye on the cornea and is characterized by chronic inflammation, fibrovascular proliferation, and tissue invasion.A pterygium usually does not cause problems or requires treatment, but it grows large enough to cover the cornea and affects vision, it may need to be removed with pterygium surgery.

Preparation

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.

How It Is Performed

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

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.

Risks

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

Side Effects

The following side effects may occur after pterygium surgery:

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

Success Rates

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

Before And After

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.

Faq

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.

Extra Content

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