Carnosity Surgery

Now, if the ocular fleshyness begins to grow towards the pupil and invades the cornea then we call it pterygium. Depending on how it progresses, a surgical treatment may be necessary to eliminate the problem at its roots. Otherwise, it could distort the cornea and cause blurred vision.

The appearance of the pterygium is like the one we see in the image above.  A fleshy triangular shape with blood vessels that extends to the center of the eye. Usually starting from the side of the nose, and sometimes from the outside.

The causes of pterygium are unknown, but specialists associate the appearance of these carnosities in the eye with patients who spend many hours exposed to sunlight without adequate protection, that is, without sunglasses that block ultraviolet radiation.

It is also associated with dust, pollution and chemical products. For what is usually given more often in people working abroad or whose working environment meets some of these conditions.

Pterygium is a common problem in people living in regions near the equator, due to its intense exposure to the sun throughout the year and the lack of resources to prevent it. For this reason, Vistaláser Ophthalmology collaborates in cooperation campaigns with Nicaragua, where we operate altruistically to the most disadvantaged.

The pterygium, anesthetically unpleasing and can cause discomfort, which is natural, since one feels a foreign body in the eye.  If we add to this the possibility of suffering from blurred vision, the normal thing is that the patient wants to eliminate it.

Presently, research continues with various medications to treat pterygium, for now the only drugs allowed are for reducing the inflammation of the pterygium or pinguecula.  If you want it eliminted surgical intervention is your only option.

When opting for surgery, it is important to be in the hands of specialists because if  not performed properly the pterygium can grow back even more aggressively.

Pterygium surgery consists of removing the lesion completely by removing tissue. Next, a graft is performed by extracting tissue from the patient's own conjunctiva. This graft is usually taken from the part of the eye that is not seen because it is covered by the eyelid. It is a rapid intervention and is performed under local anesthesia.

If you have fleshyness in the eye that worries you and it is not clear if it is a pinguecula or a pterygium, do not hesitate to contact us to arrange an appointment with one of our specialists.