Pterygium Surgery in McAllen, TX
office hours
Monday To Thursday
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday
7:00am – 3:00pm
Saturday To Sunday
Closed
Call Us Today! : 956-305-5795
Address : 5201 N G St, McAllen, TX, 78504
What Is Pterygium?
Pterygium, also known as Surfer’s Eye, usually starts as a pinguecula—a small yellow growth on your eye. The condition may stay small with mild symptoms of chronic eye irritation, but pterygium can also grow large enough to cover your cornea and impact your vision. In these cases, you may need pterygium excision surgery to remove the abnormal tissue and treat the issue. You can rely on Gelman Vision for pterygium surgery in McAllen.
7 Common Symptoms of Pterygium
Treatment Options for Improving Your Vision Health at Gelman Vision
Dr. Gelman uses three methods to treat your eyes depending on the severity of the condition and your symptoms. While relatively simple treatments like eye drops may be effective for minor cases, more developed conditions and recurrent pterygium may require pterygium removal surgery.
If your eyes are irritated and dry, your eye doctor may prescribe lubricating eye drops. This may also help relieve that foreign body sensation.
If your eye is swollen and red from the pinguecula, you may get a steroid eye drop prescription from your eye doctor. If these drops relieve your symptoms, you may not need to have surgery.
However, if you’re facing vision problems, pterygium recurrence, or other eye health concerns, Dr. Gelman may recommend surgery to remove the pterygium. During surgery, the abnormal tissue is removed from the sclera and corneal surface.
Common Questions About McAllen Pterygium Surgery
Exposure to ultraviolet light, wind, and dust is believed to be the primary cause of these yellowish growths.
It’s never a guarantee that you can avoid pinguecula or pterygium from developing. But you can wear sunglasses to reduce the chances and protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) light, wind, and dust.
You may experience eye pain for up to two days following surgery, along with redness, swelling, and irritation. You can take over-the-counter pain medications for relief.
While there is a chance that pterygium can grow back after surgery, our experienced eye surgeons can use special techniques to reduce these chances, including a conjunctival autograft. A conjunctival graft is a method for using normal tissue from the upper eyelid to help reduce your risk of recurrence. It’s worth noting that some methods for preventing pterygium recurrence come with their own potential risks, including the risk of persistent epithelial defects or corneal melting. Talk to your McAllen eye doctor about the risks of pterygium extended removal surgery.