What to expect with pterygium surgery?
The most common complication of pterygium surgery is blurred vision. A person may experience blurry vision even if they have no other symptoms or signs of infection.
Blurred vision can occur within one week after surgery or it may take up to six months. Blurry vision usually occurs at night, but sometimes it happens during the day too. It does not affect your ability to see clearly. You will still be able to do everyday tasks like reading or watching TV.
Sometimes the problem gets worse when you are driving and you cannot drive properly anymore because of blurry vision.
Other possible complications include:
A hole in the eye (cataract)
Eye pain (conjunctivitis) or inflammation (uveitis) of the eyes or cornea (the clear part of the eye)
Vision loss due to glaucoma or retinal detachment, which means that your sight is affected permanently. Eye problems may develop gradually over time and you might need glasses or contact lenses for some time.
Does pterygium surgery have any side effects?
Pterygium surgery has a very good success rate and complications are rare.
The most common side effects of pterygium surgery are blurred vision, excessive tearing and pain. The pain is usually temporary, but it can last from a few days to several months. Blurred vision usually goes away in a few months after the operation, but in some cases it may last for years. In some cases a person may need glasses after pterygium surgery.
Is pterygium surgery safe?
Pterygium surgery is a safe procedure and complications are rare. Bleeding and infection at the tip of the eyelid are the two most common complications.
How to prevent side effects of pterygium surgery?
You should rest for at least a week after surgery to ensure proper healing. You should also visit your doctor or ophthalmologist in order to ensure proper healing. You must not go to work or engage in any physical activities that would require you to be very active.
Is pterygium surgery painful?
Pterygium surgery is not very painful and you will not experience any pain while the surgery is performed. You may experience some pain after the operation or feel like there is something in your eye. This usually goes away within a few hours.
Can pterygium surgery be avoided?
If you are prone to dry eye or if you have a compromised immune system, you should get your pterygium checked. It can be very frustrating to deal with blurry vision, so it is better to visit your ophthalmologist immediately if you suffer any of these symptoms.
Sources & references used in this article:
Measures for preventing recurrence after pterygium surgery by J Akura, S Kaneda, K Matsuura, A Setogawa, K Takeda… – Cornea, 2001 – journals.lww.com
Effect of pterygium surgery on corneal topography by A Demirok, S Simsek, M Özdemir – Cornea, 2005 – journals.lww.com
Indications for and complications of mitomycin-C in pterygium surgery by AL Anduze, JM Burnett – Ophthalmic Surgery, Lasers and Imaging …, 1996 – healio.com
Understanding and managing pterygium by AB Hall – Community Eye Health, 2016 – ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Risk factors for recurrence after pterygium surgery: an image analysis study by SB Han, HS Jeon, M Kim, SJ Lee, HK Yang… – …, 2016 – ingentaconnect.com
Case in which tranilast ophthalmic solution was thought to be effective for the prevention of symblepharon and recurrence after pterygium surgery by L Buratto, RL Phillips, G Carito – 2000 – Slack Incorporated
