Pterygium Excision: removal of abnormal conjunctival tissue
In the disease called pterygium, the conjunctiva of the eye begins to grow in an abnormal fashion across the surface of the cornea. Since the conjunctiva is not clear, light is impeded from passing through the cornea in the area where the pterygium has grown. Pterygia can also bring scar tissue onto the surface of the cornea as they grow, further impeding the passage of light and causing astigmatism to occur. Pterygia can be removed surgically and the scar tissue sanded off the cornea, usually with a fine diamond-tipped corneal sander.
As pterygia can recur after surgical removal, several additional techniques are used during the surgery to help prevent the abnormal tissue from growing again. Most commonly, a small amount of normal conjunctiva is moved into position over the sclera area where the pterygium was removed. A medication called mitomycin-C is also sometimes used to help prevent abnormal pterygium cells from recurring.
