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pterygium (web eye)
A white triangular patch* of hypertrophied bulbar subconjunctival tissue, extending from the medial canthus to the border of the cornea or further.
The apex of the triangle points towards the pupil.
* May not appear white.
Etiology:
- contributing factors
- ultraviolet-light exposure (sunlight)
- low humidity
- environmental dust
Clinical manifestations:
- red eye, conjunctivitis
- foreign body sensation
- tearing
- ocular bleeding may occur
- described as a vascular growth over the comjunctiva & nasal cornea [4]
- visual impairment may occur due to astigmatism & blocking of the visual axis [4]
Complications:
- astigmatism
- corneal scarring
Differential diagnosis:
- pinguecula
- yellowish raised lesion of the conjunctiva
- will not extend over the cornea
Management:
- symptomatic relief & prevention
- sunglasses
- artificial tears for xerophthalmia
- surgical excision
Related
lethal type multiple pterygium syndrome
pseudopterygium
General
conjunctival disease
abnormal morphologic structure (malformation)
References
- Stedman's Medical Dictionary 26th ed, Williams &
Wilkins, Baltimore, 1995
- Pterygium
http://www.nei.nih.gov/health/cornealdisease/index.asp#l
- Wikipedia: Pterygium
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterygium_(conjunctiva)
- NEJM Knowledge+ Ophthalmology
- Shahraki T, Arabi A, Feizi S.
Pterygium: an update on pathophysiology, clinical features, and management.
Ther Adv Ophthalmol. 2021 May 31;13:25158414211020152.
PMID: 34104871 PMCID: PMC8170279 Free PMC article. Review.
- Chu WK, Choi HL, Bhat AK, Jhanji V.
Pterygium: new insights.
Eye (Lond). 2020 Jun;34(6):1047-1050.
PMID: 32029918 PMCID: PMC7413326 Free PMC article. Review.