Everyone’s bodies are a little different. Some people are tall, some are short. Some develop a pterygium, others don’t. Some heal fast, some heal slow.
If you fall into the cohort of “have developed a pterygium,” and said pterygium is starting to bother you, surgical removal with a pterygium surgeon may be in your near future. Though the thought of an eye operation may make you squeamish (or not; again, everyone’s bodies are a little different), in the right hands, a pterygium operation is typically uneventful with low rates of complications.
What’s Involved in Pterygium Surgery?
Modern pterygium surgery is designed to remove the pterygium – that triangular overgrowth from the whites of the eye to your clear cornea – using techniques that minimize the risk of recurrence.
Most pterygium surgeons will use a technique known as a conjunctival limbal autograft. This involves peeling away the offending pterygium tissue and covering the wound with a section of conjunctival tissue from elsewhere in the eye. The conjunctival limbal autograft technique is associated with much lower recurrence rates compared to the bare sclera technique, and with adjunct treatments such as mitomycin-C medication, the risk of recurrence could be even lower.
But what happens after the pterygium has been taken off and that little graft of conjunctival tissue settled in place?
The Pterygium Recovery Timeline
The healing period after a pterygium removal can look a little different for everyone. If you had a larger pterygium and more tissue removed or have a condition that slows down your body’s healing response, your eye may take longer to return to normal.
Immediately after your pterygium surgery
Pterygium surgery is performed under local anaesthetic. Once this anaesthesia wears off, you can expect your eye to feel a bit sore and red. The discomfort can usually be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Some people may also experience some double vision and blur from the swelling and inflammation after the operation. It’s common to feel particularly sensitive to bright lights for the first few days after your operation; this can be managed by wearing sunglasses.
Your pterygium surgeon will advise you to keep the eye that had the operation away from unsterile sources of water – this includes the shower, baths, saunas, and swimming pools. You can use goggles or a clean protective patch during your shower to keep this eye dry and reduce your risk of an infection.
One to two weeks later
By now, you should notice your vision improving and maybe it has even cleared enough to return to safe driving.
Your eye probably still feels a bit red, gritty, and irritated at this stage. If the discomfort is still distracting, you may want to continue taking it easy in situations where you rely on your vision, including driving or computer work. Your eye may also be extra sensitive to environments that exacerbate dryness and irritation, such as wind outside or sitting under an air conditioner.
Three to four weeks later
Most people’s eyes feel fully recovered after about a month post-pterygium surgery. However, if your eye still feels a bit gritty and dry at this point, don’t be alarmed. By now you should be able to return to most of your normal activities, though your eye surgeon may still recommend staying out of swimming pools and avoiding contact sports for another week or two depending on how your eye looks.
Vision is often back to normal at this stage. However, if you are still affected by dryness of your eye, this can sometimes interfere with vision by causing transient blurring between blinks.
Follow Your Surgeon’s Post-Op Instructions
Your pterygium surgeon will provide you with a guide on how to care for your eye after your operation. This list is not meant to be a killjoy, even if it does mean you can’t relax in the sauna for the next month, but is designed to smooth out your recovery period and reduce your risk of complications such as a nasty eye infection (which can be a real killjoy).
Your recovery guidelines may include:
- Which eye drops to use and how long to use them for
- Activities to avoid and when you can return to them
- Red flags to look out for and what to do about them (hint: increasing redness or pain, decreasing vision, or discharge from your eye should be attended to promptly)
Remember, everyone’s bodies are a little different. Your pterygium surgeon will be able to give you personalized advice on your recovery based on the condition of your eye, your overall health, the pterygium surgery technique used, and your healing progress at your review appointment.