Does the pterygium disappear? Maybe some people are unfamiliar with the term pterygium or even though they have seen people with pterygium in their surroundings, they don't know about this disease. It is better to talk a little about this disease first, then we want to know if the pterygium will disappear and what are the ways to treat this disease. Stay with us. What is the pterygium? Pterygium pterygium is seen as a prominent white or pinkish arrow-like lesion extending towards the center of the eye (cornea). People who spend a long time outside and exposed to the sun and do not use good protection for their eyes against sunlight, may suffer from this disease. The pterygium is actually a growth of a part of the eye called the conjunctiva, which is a white layer with veins. It is located on the sclera and advances towards the cornea in pterygoid disease. Pterygium can occur in one or both eyes. When the pterygium grows towards the center of the cornea, it will disturb the patient's vision. The growth of the pterygium may be slow throughout life. It can also stop at intervals. In general, this disease is not dangerous and has a cure. Of course, in severe or chronic cases, it can cause permanent blurring of vision. Pterygium does not usually occur in children. It is mostly seen in older adults. About 12% of people in the world experience pterygium. Be careful that no special treatment is always needed for pterygium. Treatment begins when you experience discomfort in your eyes or vision problems. ### Symptoms of pterygium - The growth of a pink appendage on the white of the eye, which looks like an arrow and the tip of the arrow is towards the pupil. - Eye redness, eye irritation - Feeling of a foreign body in the eye, like the presence of fine sand - Constantly teary eyes - Dry eyes, burning and itching eyes - If the pterygium is close to the center of the cornea, it causes double vision and blurred vision. ### The main causes of pterygium There are two main reasons for this complication: 1. Being exposed to UV light for a long time 2. Exposure to hot and dry weather conditions with a lot of wind and dust According to the mentioned weather conditions, the prevalence of this disease is higher in the areas known as pterygium belt. These regions include the entire continent of Africa, Central and South America, Australia and South Asia, which include countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Nepal, etc. **Read more: All about** **Treatment of pterygium** ### Does the pterygium disappear? It should be noted that the pterygium does not disappear by itself and the only way to completely remove it is surgery. Eye drops can be used to treat some symptoms of pterygium. The treatment is selected according to the symptoms of the disease in you, which can include discomfort in the eyes in the form of redness, increased eye sensitivity, dryness and burning of the eyes. Using eye drops and ointments to increase moisture in the eye or reduce eye inflammation is considered as preliminary treatment. If the disease progresses and symptoms such as visual impairment, continuous growth of the pterygium, whose symptoms worsen and do not respond to eye drops treatment, and also in case of dissatisfaction with the appearance of the eye, surgical treatment is suggested. ### How is pterygoid surgery? Three general methods are used in pterygium surgery. 1. Removing the pterygium and replacing the place with the person's own conjunctival tissue (autograft): In this method, after removing the pterygium, the conjunctival tissue that is usually removed from under the upper eyelid is used for the place where the pterygium is removed, and the new tissue is transplanted there. The risk of pterygium returning in this method is low and it has the best result in terms of appearance. 2. Removing the pterygium and replacing the site through the grafting of the amniotic layer of the fetus: this method is the same as the previous method. With the difference that the tissue is not removed from the person's own eye and the amniotic layer of the donated placenta of a newborn baby is used. 3. Removing the pterygium and not transplanting another layer at the place of removal, which is similar to the previous methods. However, tissue is not placed at the place where the pterygium is removed. Usually this method is used less often. The risk of return of pterygium is higher in this method. The surgical method, like all surgeries, has risk factors, which in pterygoid surgery include: - The possibility of infection or creating a cyst at the surgical site - The possibility of return of pterygium should be kept in mind - Dry eyes - In severe cases, damage to the sclera or cornea by breaking the collagen layers, which can cause thinning of the cornea, is not common. ### Is there a way to prevent pterygium? Using sunglasses that provide 100% protection against harmful UV rays is the most important way to prevent pterygium. (UV400 glasses) It is recommended to use sunglasses on non-sunny and cloudy days. You should also wear glasses when you are sitting in your car because these harmful lights are everywhere during the day and their protection is not limited to sunny days and completely open environment.