Pterygium surgery

• Interfering with normal vision – blurring or obstructed vision. If not removed, a large pterygium may eventually grow over the pupil. 
• Causing irritation, frequent tearing, and discomfort. 
• The growing pterygium may cause astigmatism due to pulling on and distorting the shape of the cornea, resulting in distorted vision.
• Pterygium growth can prevent comfortable use of contact lenses. 

Anaesthesia

Pterygium surgery is primarily conducted under local anaesthesia with some sedation. This is administered with numbing eye drops and sometimes a numbing injection near the eye.

1. The surgery is performed by making a small incision in the conjunctiva (the membrane which covers the white of the eye) around the pterygium. 
2. The surgeon will then lift and cut the lower section of the pterygium to remove the growth. 
3. To lower the risk of recurrence of the pterygium, a small section of the conjunctiva from under the upper eyelid is used to make a graft where the pterygium has been removed. This graft is attached with glue or sutures.

Due to the number of blood vessels in the pterygium, the surgeon may ask you to cease blood thinning medications prior to the procedure.

Pterygium recurrence

It is possible for a pterygium to grow back after surgical removal. Often a recurrent pterygium will grow more rapidly than the initial pterygium. While your surgeon will implement interventions to prevent this, the risk of pterygium recurrence can be unpredictable.

Possible risks and complications of pterygium surgery

While most patients undergoing pterygium surgery do not experience complications, every surgery has some level of risk and complications can occur:

Infection of the eye: This could cause loss of vision and requires treatment with antibiotics.

Droopy eyelid: This may alter your appearance and can be disfiguring. Further treatment may be required.

Significant pain during healing: This may require prescription pain relief.

Irritation: Dryness and the feeling of “grit” in the eye may persist.

Prolonged redness: The excision site may remain red and alter your appearance.

Bleeding: A possible complication, however, is unusual. Contact the eye clinic should this occur.

Corneal scarring:  Minor scarring of the cornea can occur in some cases where a conjunctival autograft has been performed.

• Pterygium removal is performed as a day procedure, meaning you will be discharged home the same day. This means you must allocate a responsible adult to support you on your journey home from hospital and overnight after surgery.
•  It is normal to feel discomfort in the eye for several days after the procedure. This may be more apparent when reading. 
• You will be prescribed steroid and antibiotic eye drops / ointments to use for several weeks after surgery. 
• The eye may feel swollen, red, and irritated or “gritty” for up to a month after surgery. Minor pain relief medication, such as paracetamol should be sufficient for pain management after surgery.
• You will need to return to the outpatient clinic for a post-operative review approximately one week after surgery. The date and time of this appointment will be confirmed after surgery. If any non-dissolvable stitches were used, these will be removed at your appointment. 
• You will have an eye patch on after the procedure, which you can remove the next morning.
• It is recommended to wear ultraviolet protected sunglasses when outdoors and avoid wind and bright sunlight during this period.
• You should avoid swimming, getting your head wet in the shower and strenuous activity after your procedure as advised by your doctors and nurses.
• The recovery time for every patient is different, but it is expected your eye should be completely healed within 4-6 weeks of surgery