A winged wing is a wing-shaped growth on the eye - hence the name. Though benign, it can, in some cases, lead to severe scarring of the cornea. This is a serious condition as scarring can cause blindness. What are the causes and symptoms of pterygium? What is the treatment and prevention of this eye disease?

Contents:

  1. Skrzydlik: causes and risk factors
  2. Skrzydlik: symptoms
  3. Skrzydlik: diagnostics
  4. Skrzydlik: treatment
  5. Skrzydlik: prophylaxis

Skrzydlikiseye disease , the essence of which is conjunctival thickening. This is the result of a defect in corneal limbal stem cells, causing the growth of fibrous-vascular tissue in the medial angle, less often in the temporal angle, of the eyeball.

Skrzydlik: causes and risk factors

The causes of the pterygium are not fully known. It is believed that the thickening of the conjunctiva is influenced by prolonged exposure to sunlight, especially UV radiation.

It has been noticed that the disease is more common in people who live in a warm climate and spend a lot of time in a sunny environment - it is sometimes called the surfer's eye.

Chronic eye irritation from dry, dusty, dusty or smoky air may also contribute to the appearance of the symptoms of the disease. According to some researchers, light skin tone and light eye color are also risk factors.

It has also been shown that pterygium formation is influenced by vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which induces neovascularization (a process involving the formation of blood vessels in blood) of the eye tissues: the cornea and conjunctiva.

Skrzydlik: symptoms

The winged wing is a flat, soft, triangular lesion that points towards the conjunctiva and the apex towards the cornea (which looks like an insect's wing).

The winged wing extends from the nasal side of the conjunctiva and gradually grows over the cornea (the transparent part that covers the iris and pupil), occupying an increasingly central part.

The accompanying symptoms are usually:

  • red eye
  • blurred vision
  • eye irritation
  • burning sensation
  • itching

Thick or large pterygiums can also induce the sensation of a foreign body in the eye. In the case of quite convex lesions, tearing and photophobia may also appear.

Skrzydlik: diagnostics

In order to diagnose pterygium, a basic ophthalmological examination is performed, incl. it using a slit lamp.

Skrzydlik: treatment

If the change does not affect the quality of vision, but only redness and irritation of the eye appear, local treatment with eye drops or ointments containing corticosteroids (to eliminate inflammation) is used.

When pterygium causes blindness or astigmatism that causes blurred vision, it is surgically removed.

According to an expertDr. Łukasz Kołodziejski, MD, specialist in eye diseases at the Warsaw Ophthalmology Center LIBERMEDIC

Skrzydlik is most often caused by the action of UV radiation, which causes irritation and pathological changes in the conjunctival cells. The barrier between the cornea and the sclera is broken and the conjunctiva begins to grow abnormally - to the cornea. People struggling with this problem experience discomfort, and the vision deteriorates due to the deformation of the cornea. The winged wing is treated surgically - by cutting it out.

It is worth remembering, however, that if we only cut the lesion and do nothing about it, the pterygium will grow back, so micrografts are also used - the conjunctiva is taken from other areas of the eye and placed in the place where the pterygium was removed.

Drugs are also used to stop the multiplication of abnormal cells and the formation of abnormal blood vessels. Such a procedure brings a large percentage of people healed.

What is thepterygium operation ? Approx. The 20-minute procedure is performed under a microscope, under local anesthesia (drip and subconjunctival anesthesia). After cutting the lesion, an absorbable suture is placed over the conjunctival wound and local antibiotics are administered. Healing takes 4-6 weeks and during this time you should use eye drops, ointments and gels.

If the changes recur, cryotherapy and radiotherapy are used. In the most serious cases, a corneal transplant can be performed.

Skrzydlik: prophylaxis

To minimize the appearance of pterygium, protect your eyes from ultraviolet rays with appropriate sunglass and avoid a dry, dusty environment.

Category:

Eye diseases and vision disorders