Pterygium (Surfer’s eye) is a growth on your eyeball

In some cases, eye drops may help manage symptoms such as redness or irritation

Patients inquiring about Pterygium treatment will need a referral from their optometrist or GP.

Pterygium (Surfer’s eye) is a growth on your eyeball

In some cases, eye drops may help manage symptoms such as redness or irritation

Patients inquiring about cataract surgery will need a referral from their optometrist or GP.

A clearer way to approach pterygium care

Learn what this condition involves and how treatment is planned

Pterygium incidence / prevalence

  • A pterygium is an abnormal growth of the conjunctiva (the skin of the eye.) A pterygium is benign (not cancerous), but if not removed, it can continue to grow and cover the cornea and limit your vision by causing permanent scarring and astigmatism.

  • Pterygiums are generally caused by excess exposure to the sun and are more common in people who have lived in warm and tropical climates of prolonged sun exposure. Most often a pterygium is located on the part of the conjunctiva closer to the nose and can appear as a yellow-red “bump” on the eye.
  • Genetic factors may play a part but exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun is thought to play a major role.

  • Pterygium is diagnosed at your clinical consultation with your optometrist or with Dr Gupta.
  • The pterygium may warrant treatment if:
    • The growth is large enough to cover the pupil which can blur or obstruct vision.
    • It’s causing irritation, tearing, and discomfort.
    • It pulls on the cornea, distorting its shape and causing astigmatism.
    • It looks red and unattractive.

  • The latest technique of pterygium removal is via excision with conjunctival autografting (PECG)1. This is a day surgery procedure and takes about 15-20 minutes.
  • The procedure is performed using local anaesthesia and sedation. Dr Gupta uses a surgical adhesive to secure the graft, which removes the need for sutures. Your clinician will explain how this technique works and what to expect during healing, as each person’s comfort and recovery experience can be different.
  • Generally, patients have minimal discomfort. There is often awareness that their eye feels “different” for a few days. Postoperatively, the eye will usually remain red for 2-3 weeks after surgery.

Explore new ways to manage your vision and feel more confident in your next steps

Learn more about the options available to support your eye health

3 simple steps to find the right treatment

Eye treatment options can be confusing. We’ve made the journey as straightforward as can be

Get in touch

Many people are unsure about which eye treatment can help them and which option they should choose. The first step is to get a clear answer on whether one of our treatments will suit your needs. Give our friendly team a call us on: 08 7082 2066 or request a call back.

We’ll meet

You can rest assured that we will answer all of your questions and help you decide on an appropriate treatment option. We’ll also provide a clear recommendation based on what works well with your needs.

MOVE FORWARD WITH CONFIDENCE

At our eye clinic in Adelaide, we offer a range of treatment options designed to address different vision needs. After your procedure, you will be guided through what to expect as you adjust to your vision. Many people find that this stage helps them return to their usual routines with more clarity about how to manage their eye health.

Affiliations and memberships

We are proud to be a part of these professional bodies

Learn more about pterygium through these online resources

Expand your knowledge about pterygium. (These links will take you off our website.)

This seminal paper illustrates the prevalence of and risk factors for pterygium in a population sample of residents of Australia aged 40 years and older. Click here for more.

The aim of this paper is to describe the number of Australians affected by pterygium in recent years, treatment options and the real costs of not having treatment. Click here for more.

Pinguecula and pterygium are both caused by exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and made worse by chronic dryness or irritation.

A pterygium, also known as surfer’s eye, is a raised, wedge-shaped growth of the conjunctiva that extends onto the cornea — the outer layer of the eye. These growths also can occur on either side of the eye. In some instances they remain small, but they can potentially grow to the point of feeling uncomfortable or affecting vision.

Pterygia usually cause irritation, redness or a sensation of something in the eye, and sometimes cause decreased or distorted vision after changing the shape of the cornea. Click here for more.

Hi, I’m Dr Aanchal Gupta, a specialist laser eye and cataract surgeon in Adelaide.

For more than 15 years, I have had the privilege of helping thousands of patients achieve clearer vision and greater freedom from glasses and contact lenses, having performed more than 15,000 eye procedures.

Vision correction requires precision, experience and sound clinical judgement. Achieving consistently excellent outcomes depends not only on advanced technology, but also on the expertise of the surgeon using it.

I understand that choosing eye surgery is an important decision. Every person’s eyes—and visual needs—are different, so treatment should be carefully tailored to your eye health, lifestyle and goals.

Your complimentary initial assessment is an opportunity to explore your suitability, learn about the options available and have your questions answered without obligation.

I look forward to welcoming you to IVISION LASER in Adelaide and helping you discover what may be possible for your vision.

Dr Aanchal Gupta

MBBS, M.Med. (Ophth. Sci.), Grad. Dip. (Refract. Surg.), FRANZCO, FWCRS&VS
Specialist Laser Eye and Cataract Surgeon