Surgery To Remove The Pinguecula | Eye Disorders and Diseases discussions | Body & Health Conditions center (2023)

FAQs

Can pinguecula be surgically removed? ›

Surgery for pinguecula is uncommon, but may be required if there is suspicion for a precancerous lesion that needs removal. Pinguecula surgery involves removing the growth then replacing the affected area with healthy conjunctiva or other eye tissue.

Pinguecula is a harmless growth that's not dangerous. It's not cancer. In most cases, it usually doesn't cause pain or discomfort. In most people, a pinguecula usually doesn't need to be removed or treated.

A pinguecula is rarely surgically removed, and is usually treated with steroid eye drop. However, the eye drops do not make the pinguecula go away. If it is a major cosmetic concern or if it causes discomfort or interferes with blinking the pinguecula may be surgically removed.

If pterygium is interfering in your field of vision, the procedure may be covered as a “medically necessary” surgery and some insurance plans will pay for all or part of the surgery. Pinguecula are generally not covered by insurance unless there is a medical reason.

Medication (eye drops) are used for 2 - 4 weeks after the procedure, with frequent eye doctor visits to check the eye pressure and healing. The cost for pinguecula surgery is about $1200 per eye.

Full recovery can take several weeks to about a month. Patients are also instructed to use antibiotic and steroid drops for the first 1-2 months to prevent infection, reduce inflammation, and reduce the risk of occurrence.

The complications post pterygium excision and auto-grafting include subconjunctival hemorrhage, graft edema, graft loss, retraction, graft sliding, granuloma, and recurrence. Less commonly corneal melt, perforation.

You can treat the irritation and redness caused by a pterygium or pinguecula with simple eye drops, such as Systane Plus or Blink lubricants. If you suffer from inflammation, a course of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drops (e.g. Acular, Voltaren Ophtha) may help.

On MDsave, the cost of a Pterygium with or without Graft ranges from $3150 to $5663.

How long does pinguecula last? Because it can't heal on its own, a pinguecula will last until it is treated. Eye drops or ointment will resolve a pinguecula in two to four weeks, depending on the severity of the growth. If surgery is needed, full recovery will take up to a month.

Are you awake during pterygium surgery? ›

Are you awake during pterygium surgery? Yes, patients are awake, but they receive light oral sedation and the eye is numbed with local anesthetic. There is not any pain or sensation during the procedure.

You'll be able to return to work in about two days. After the first week, the adhesive used to secure your graft is no longer necessary and it will dissolve. Over the next two to four weeks, your eye will gradually return to a normal appearance with little or no traces of redness or irritation.

The vision may be blurry for several weeks after surgery due to a change in the shape of the cornea after surgery and a change in the prescription of the eye. This may settle on its own, but may require a change in your glasses.

The diagnostic codes in the rating schedule corresponding to pinguecula/pterygium provide disability ratings on the basis of visual impairment. See 38 C.F.R. § 4.84a, Diagnostic Code 6034.

A pinguecula is not dangerous and often does not require treatment. However, there are some noninvasive treatment options available that can help manage the growth of a pinguecula and alleviate any symptoms. Surgery is also an option for some people.

PTERYGIUM SURGERY POST-OP INSTRUCTIONS CON'T DO NOT WEAR eye makeup or moisturizer around the eye area for 1 week after surgery. DO NOT swim; go into a hot tub, Jacuzzi, or sauna for 2 weeks following your surgery. You can take showers as normal, but avoid getting shampoo, soap, or water in your eye.

Cataract surgery should not affect how you sleep, aside from wearing the protective eye shield to avoid rubbing the eye. Rubbing your eye or even water splashing in your eye can aggravate the chances of infection. You may also want to avoid sleeping on the side of the operated eye for the first 24 hours.

Plan on taking one to three days off of work to be sure you have enough time to rest, but it is normal to resume most normal activities within a couple of days. Simple diversions like reading, watching TV, writing, and walking are okay to resume as soon as you feel up for it after your eye surgery.

Do not rub, press or bump the operative eye. Moisten a cotton ball with Saline solution to gently remove any crusting on your lashes. Do not wear eye makeup or mascara for 2 weeks after surgery. Do not irrigate your eye.

However, pterygium surgery is concerned by postoperative recurrence (whose rate can be up to 89% and its severity may vary according to the adopted approach and preoperative conditions) because fibrovascular growth may occur also with greater extension than its primary presentation.

What should be avoided in pterygium excision surgery? ›

Possible complications include inflammation and/or infection. The pterygium can impact vision if it grows very close to the pupil. Avoid irritants as much as possible and be sure to lubricate the affected eye well for at least six weeks after the procedure.

Prevention. The best methods to prevent a pinguecula is protect the eye from ultraviolet radiation by wearing certified wrap-around sunglasses and brimmed hats while outdoors. Some prescription glasses also have lenses capable of protecting the eyes from ultraviolet rays.

A pinguecula is caused by changes in your conjunctiva tissue. These changes have been linked to irritation caused by sun exposure, dust, and wind, and are more common as we age. These bumps or growths may contain a combination of protein, fat, or calcium, or a combination of the three.

Ultraviolet rays are harmful to the eye, and protection from these rays with sunglasses, hats and other coverings will enable you to prevent more Pinguecula from developing. More UV light continues their growth, and shielding your eyes from the sun as much as possible will help.

Pterygium Excision

Retrobulbar anesthesia is typically most comfortable for the patient because it provides good levels of pain control during the procedure. Take care not to damage the underlying corneal tissue or remove stroma when prying the pterygium off the surface of the eye.

Sometimes pterygium can scar your cornea, but this is rare. The scarring can be treated if it's minor. If the scarring is major, damage to your corneal can cause blindness.

Removal is typically recommended if the pterygium grows far enough onto the cornea to impair vision, if it causes chronic inflammation and irritation, or if it interferes with contact lens wear.

Typically, patients are awake during cataract surgery. This eliminates risks associated with general anesthesia (where you are “put to sleep”) and enables Our Doctors to communicate with you during your procedure. You will be given an oral medication prior to the procedure to help you relax during your surgery.

Sleep on your back or on the opposite side of the eye that was operated on to decrease your risk of infection and irritation after surgery. If you turn over in your sleep, your eye shield should help protect your eye from significant damage.

You will need to take regular pain relief such as paracetamol. There will be some swelling in the area where the pterygium was removed and the conjunctival graft placed. It may take several days for the focus of your eye to settle and there may be some fluctuation in your vision for several weeks.

What drugs are used during pterygium surgery? ›

Medical treatment of pterygium consists of over-the-counter (OTC) artificial tears/topical lubricating drops (eg, Refresh Tears, GenTeal drops) and/or bland, nonpreserved ointments (eg, Refresh P.M., Hypo Tears), as well as occasional short-term use of topical corticosteroid anti-inflammatory drops (eg, Pred Forte 1%) ...

Your vision may change after surgery, but if it does, LASIK will still be beneficial. Changes in vision after LASIK are typically minor, and most people report improved eyesight for a lifetime after their procedures.

Most people see better 1 to 3 days after surgery. But it could take 3 to 10 weeks to get the full benefits of surgery and to see as clearly as possible. Your doctor may send you home with a bandage, patch, or clear shield on your eye. This will keep you from rubbing your eye.

The main complication is the possibility of recurrence which should not be high for a pinguecula. Persistent redness or irritation and foreign body sensation can last several weeks or even months after this surgery. Rarely, an unsightly scar or color change in the area of the excision can occur.

Fortunately, pinguecula does not cause permanent damage to the eye and does not disqualify you from being a candidate for corrective eye surgery such as LASIK.

Pinguecula was seen in at least one eye of 27.1% of men and 17.7% of women.

Mean age (SD) of the sample studied was 63.4 (14.5) years (range: 40–96 years).