आंखो मे नखूना (Pterygium) का लक्षण, कारण और इलाज

Pterygium (pronounced tur-IJ-ee-um) is a raised, fleshy growth on your eye’s conjunctiva. Your conjunctiva is the clear membrane that covers the white of your eye. The conjunctiva normally ends at the clear part of your eye, the cornea. It also lines the inside of your eyelids.

Pterygium comes from the Greek words pteryx, which means “wing,” and pterygion, which means “fin.” Pterygium is a wing-like or triangular-shaped thickening of an area of conjunctiva tissue. It grows from either corner of your eye, but usually more often from the corner closest to your nose. It spreads outward, sometimes onto the cornea of your eye.

Pterygium can affect one or both of your eyes but usually not at the same time. When it affects both eyes at the same time, it’s called bilateral pterygium.
What are the signs and symptoms of pterygium?
Sometimes you’ll have no symptoms before pterygium appears. When symptoms do develop, they range from mild to severe.

Early signs and symptoms include:

A slightly raised pink growth on your eye.
Red, irritated or swollen eyes.
Dry eyes, itchy eyes or burning eyes.
Feeling like you have sand or grit is in your eye.
Teary eyes.
Late signs and symptoms include:

Increase in the size and spread of the lesion.
An unpleasant appearance of your eye due to the size of the lesion.
Blurred vision or double vision (if pterygium grows onto your cornea).
What causes pterygium?
Pterygium is an overgrowth of your conjunctiva tissue. It’s thought to be caused by:

Long-term exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) light (most common cause).
Eye irritation from hot and dry weather, wind and dust.
Diagnosis and Tests
How is pterygium diagnosed?
Your eye care provider can diagnose pterygium with a slit lamp. A slip lamp is a type of microscope that focuses a narrow (a “slit”) line of bright light on your eye. It helps your provider look at the front and inside of your eye. A slit lamp exam is a normal part of an eye exam.

Other eye tests your provider may perform include:

Visual acuity test: This test checks how well you can see letters or symbols on a chart 20 feet away.
Corneal topography: This is a type of photography that uses a computer to create a 3D map of the surface of your cornea.
Your provider may also take pictures of your eye to track changes in the growth of pterygium over time. Your eye care provider may order other tests to rule out other conditions, including cancers that affect the eye.

Management and Treatment
How is pterygium treated?
If your symptoms don’t cause discomfort or interfere with your vision, you probably don’t need treatment. Your provider will schedule office visits to see if the pterygium is growing or causing vision problems.

Your eye care provider may:

Recommend over-the-counter eye ointments or lubricating (wetting) drops / artificial tears or decongestant drops if your eye is uncomfortable.
Prescribe steroid eye drops or eye ointments to reduce pain, redness, itching and swelling.
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