Pterygium Surgery With Sutures

Treatment Overview: Pterygium surgery is performed to remove a fleshy, triangular growth on the white part of the eye that extends onto the cornea. This growth can cause redness, irritation, dryness, blurred vision, or cosmetic concerns. The surgery becomes necessary when symptoms worsen or when the pterygium threatens vision. Procedure: During the operation, the surgeon carefully excises the pterygium from the cornea and sclera. To prevent recurrence, a conjunctival autograft—a small piece of healthy tissue from another part of the patient’s eye—is placed over the area where the growth was removed. Fine sutures (either absorbable or nylon) are used to secure the graft firmly in place. The stitches help stabilize the graft during the early healing phase. The eye is then covered with medication and a protective patch. Benefits: Reduces irritation, redness, and tearing Improves cosmetic appearance Restores comfort and visual clarity Conjunctival graft with sutures lowers recurrence rates Provides strong graft fixation during healing Risks: Temporary discomfort, redness, and foreign-body sensation Suture-related irritation Infection or inflammation Rare recurrence of pterygium Graft displacement (less common with sutures)