A pterygium that causes vision problems can be removed during simple surgery. You will be given a local anesthetic to numb your eye. It takes only a few minutes to remove the growth. This surgery is usually successful. However, you may develop another pterygium later.
Some surgeons apply medicine to the eye during surgery to help lower the risk of recurrence.
You may have a little discomfort during the first day after surgery, but wearing a patch over your eye and using drops and ointment should help you heal quickly. Any surgery has some risks, including bleeding, infection, and scarring, but these are uncommon with pterygium surgery. Normally, a pinguecula does not need to be removed. However, if you are concerned about the way the growth looks or feels, see your health care provider. Developed by McKessonHBOC Clinical Reference Systems.