Pterygium in Young Children

EYENET MAGAZINE•35Susan Dsouza, MBBS, DOMSPterygium in Young ChildrenEXTERNAL DISEASEOPHTHALMIC PEARLSPterygium is a benign, wedge-shaped, progressive fibrovascular overgrowth of the degenerated bulbar conjunctiva, seen most com-monly on the nasal limbus (Fig. 1). The condition is often asymptomatic, especially early in its development. As a pterygium gradually encroaches toward the visual axis, it can cause astigma-tism, which may be the main visual complaint.1 In addition, the lesion may become inflamed, leading to ocular surface irritation. Although pterygium is rare in young children, we have treated several of these patients at our medical college.