A pterygium is a small triangular shaped whitish or yellowish growth between the conjunctiva (white membrane covering the eye) and cornea (the colored part of the eye).  A pterygium is not a cancer and it is not a cataract. Some pterygium grow slowly throughout a person's life,, others reach a point of maximal growth and stop.

As a rule, a pterygium does not interfere with vision unless it grows so far onto the cornea that it begins to cover the pupil. Most people are more concerned with the appearance than with any possible visual difficulty.  It is usually not too noticeable unless it becomes inflamed and red, which can result from dust, smoke, pollutants in the air, or swimming pools.

Pterygium is most common in sunny climate.  People who have them have usually spent a good part of their lives outdoors like farmer, fisher, or athletes.  Most doctors feel that they are related to overexposure to ultraviolet light.

Over the counter decongestant eyedrops will reduce the redness and may provide relief from some irritation.  However, do not use them more than four times a day or longer than two weeks as they can cause a rebound of redness.

Surgery is the only way to remove a pterygium, but we do not recommend surgery unless the pterygium is affecting your vision or causing lots of discomfort. The recurrence rate of pterygium after surgery can be as high as 20% to 30%.  A different technique using a membrane graft can cut the recurrence rate to less than 10% and provide much better cosmetic effect . You need to discuss with your ophthalmologist about different surgical techniques.