Hi,
I had pterygium removal surgery on both my eye in November 2014.
Not only was it the mos irritable surgery, both the pterygium has returned and seem to be growing at a rapid pace.
I have been told that not only am i rather young (26) to have pterygium, but that due to my age they should not grow back especially not at this rate. Anyone had the same operation, perhaps twice.
Do you live in Australia like me which is famous for pterygia due to all the ultraviolet light? Yes you are young. Yes if they grow back it is a worry because it means they are aggressive. Repeat surgery may be necessary and I would suggest you are reviewed by a corneal expert.
I am an eye surgeon and do this type of work. I always use a conjunctival graft and apply a soft bandage contact lens to the eye for 7 days post-operatively to reduce discomfort.
I would suggest you address any dry eye problem with regular applications of preservative free lubricants such as Hylo-fresh from a chemist.
Perhaps short courses of steroid eye drops like FML will help if the pterygium looks red, inflamed and angry obtained on prescription from your optometrist or GP or eye specialist.
Good day,
I am from South Africa. Thank you for the comment, still not 100% if I will re do the operation, was the most uncomfortable surgery especially with the stitches that was placed.
I think you should see a corneal expert. Pterygia can grow across the cornea and cause severe vision loss. They should be removed before this stage as otherwise the central cornea will have a permanent scar causing glare and astigmatism.
My patients do not complain of sutures which are very fine and disappear in about 6 weeks.
Discomfort only lasts a few days and is due to the sensitive cornea being left bare. That is why I use a contact lens - it covers the exposed nerves which makes a big difference. After 2 days the surface is usually healed but I leave the lens for 7 days anyway.
Recurrence is a serious issue which is why you should seek an expert corneal opinion.