Please give me your opinion on pterygium surgery.

Question

Hello doctor,

I am a 28-year-old female. Had pterygium for 4 to 5 years in the right eye, and in the left eye for two years. It was treated with eye drops, but I do not remember the name. I have not taken the drops in more than a year. The recommendation now is for surgery, so I am seeking a second opinion, preferably with someone who can view the photographs and offer a treatment option.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I saw the photos, and although they are not of high quality, I can still determine the borders of the pterygium. Usually, pterygiums are operated on if they have crossed the white border of the eye, have reached the central part and are causing visual problems such as blurry or diminished vision. The other reason is cosmetical and if the patient asks for the surgery. Pterygium is a chronic process during which the lesion starts to grow due to different reasons like continuous exposure to the sun, dry eye, etc. Therefore the decision of whether to do surgery or not is up to you because even after surgery, it might reoccur if the main reasons persist. There is no dedicated treatment for it, and we usually prescribe steroids to reduce the inflammation along with artificial tears to keep the eye lubricated. I would advise you to use the Lotemax eye drops or alternative one drop three times daily for 10 days (make sure you shake the vial well before using it in case of lotemax ) and any artificial tears one drop four to five times daily in a continuous manner (do not use it before going to sleep). After 10 days you can reassess it yourself an decide whether you want to do the surgery or not.