Symptoms

Symptoms of a Pterygium

Usually, the most obvious symptom of a pterygium is a white, pink or red growth on the sclera, or white of the eye. Sometimes, however, it may be so pale that you don’t notice it until it grows toward into the cornea and blurs your vision. You might also experience:

• Irritated, gritty eyes
• Dry eyes
• Red eyes
• Constrained eye movement
• Blurry vision

A pterygium may grow for a long period of time, stop growing temporarily, then begin growing again.

A pterygium can also be associated with a pinguecula, a yellow bump that appears in the middle of the whites of the eyes—the area that would still be exposed to the sun when you squint. Pingueculae disrupt the usual flow of lubricating tears, causing eyes to become dry and irritated.