A pterygium is a growth on the white of the eye very close to and sometimes into the clear cornea. These are usually benign
growths and are made up mostly of fatty tissue. They are generally very slow growing and it is believed that sunlight
influences the progression. There are many blood vessels in the area of pterygium, which can become very prominent even with
very minor irritation. These are unsightly and unfortunately medication does not correct it. Surgery is needed if the
pterygium is very symptomatic, or grows into the clear cornea. Even with complete removal, there is still a very high
incidence of recurrence, and there may still be some redness in the area. To minimize the chance of recurrence, an
anti-cancer drug called Mitomycin-C, and amniotic membrane or conjunctival grafts are frequently used at the time of
surgery.
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