Pterygium conjunctivae
| Classification according to ICD-10 | |
|---|---|
| H11.0 | Pterygium |
| ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019) | |
A pterygium conjunctivae (from the Greek pteryx "wing" and Latin coniungere "connect"), the pleura of the conjunctiva , is understood in ophthalmology to be a vascular growth of tissue in the conjunctiva that extends to the cornea . The pterygium is operable and usually benign , but is prone to recurrence .
This growth is an often triangular fold of the conjunctiva in the fissure area of the eyelid , which usually grows from the side of the nose towards the center of the cornea. Initially, it can cause a rubbing sensation of a foreign body, but is usually not a problem. If the wedge-shaped growth occurs from the edge of the cornea to the center of the cornea, so that there is a risk of a reduction in visual acuity , surgical treatment is indicated that can also be carried out on an outpatient basis . In pronounced cases of conjunctival pterygium, the cornea can become distorted, leading to astigmatism . A restricted movement of the eyeball can lead to double vision.
This translucent doubling of the conjunctiva can be caused by solar radiation and is more common in people who work a lot outdoors.
The pterygium can appear spontaneously, but it can also be the result of various diseases and injuries.
In particular, it occurs as a residual scar condition (scar pterygium, leukoma) after injuries, can be the result of eye infections, especially herpes simplex, and can be a residual condition in bullous dermatoses of the skin (pemphigus group).
Therefore, a search for the cause should always be carried out and the underlying disease should be treated accordingly, in particular to prevent successive blindness.
See also
Web links
- University of Freiburg Pterygium (wing skin)
literature
- Th. Axenfeld (conception), H. Pau (ed.): Textbook and atlas of ophthalmology. With the collaboration of R. Sachsenweger et al., Pp. 198 ff., Stuttgart: Gustav Fischer Verlag, 1980, ISBN 3-437-00255-4
- ME Cameron, Research Article: Histology of pterygium: an electron microscopic study. Br J Ophthalmol 1983; 67: 604-608, doi: 10.1136 / bjo.67.9.604
