What is the difference between pterygium and pinguecula?

Answers (2)

• Michael?anderson

  05/24/2012

  Pingueculae are yellowish, slighted raised lesions on the sclera, while pterygia are wedge- or wing-shaped growths of benign fibrous tissue on it. Most pingueculae are found in the open space between eyelids, and pterygia may grow into cornea in extreme cases. Both of them are commonly related to overexposure to UV light, which is considered as a major contributing factor. Of course, these two eye problems can both affect people’s appearance.

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• walki

  05/24/2012

  In most cases, pingueculae and pterygia do not have obvious symptoms. However, they have different signs in some cases. Irritation-caused pinguecula make people feel something in the eye and some pingueculae may become swollen and inflamed, a condition named pingueculitis. Differently, some pterygia become red, large or thick. Large and advanced pterygia may cause corneal distortion and astigmatism.

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