Can Pterygium Eye Condition Affect Cataract Surgery
To effectively remove cataracts, a condition that involves cloudiness on the lens of the eye, cataract surgery can be performed. However, other eye conditions can occur at the same time as cataracts, such as pterygium. Before undergoing cataract surgery, your ophthalmologist will need to assess your eyes for any other conditions and plan your surgery with consideration to the overall health of your eyes.
If you have a pterygium but also need to undergo cataract surgery, you’ll need to discuss how your surgery will be approached during your consultation. Often, it is recommended that a pterygium is treated separately, before undergoing cataract surgery. Other times, when the pterygium is not severe, both pterygium and cataract surgeries can be performed at the same time.
In this blog, we’ll explain the interaction between pterygium and cataracts, and what this can mean for cataract surgery. If you’re experiencing either of these eye conditions, we highly recommend organising a consultation with one of the ophthalmologists who operate at Valley Eye Specialists in Brisbane.
What is the pterygium eye condition?
A pterygium is a triangular-shaped growth of tissue that extends from the conjunctiva (the clear membrane covering the white part of the eye) onto the cornea.
The growth is typically associated with excessive exposure to ultraviolet (UV) light, wind, dust, and dry conditions. Symptoms of surfer’eye condition include redness, irritation, and a feeling of something being in the eye. In advanced cases, it can interfere with vision by distorting the corneal surface or encroaching on the visual axis, so timely treatment is important.
The condition can be treated with pterygium removal surgery, which is offered at Valley Eye Specialists. In particular, Dr Juanita Pappalardo can perform the procedure using the P.E.R.F.E.C.T (Pterygium Extended Removal Followed by Extended Conjunctival Transplantation) technique, which reduces the chance of the condition reoccurring.
Treatment of a pterygium will always depend on the details of your condition and other eye health factors to consider. Your ophthalmologist will need to assess your needs before recommending a suitable treatment.
What is cataract surgery?
Characterised by the clouding of the eye’s lens, gradually leading to a decline in vision if left untreated, cataracts can be treated by surgically removing the affected lens and replacing it with a clear lens.
The replacement lens needs to be carefully chosen based on the characteristics of each patient’s eye. Other details of the surgery can be quite complicated and will require high precision, which is why your eyes will be carefully assessed to help plan the surgery.
Once cataract surgery treats the condition, its associated symptoms (such as blurry vision, difficulty with night vision, glare, and fading colours) can be relieved.
Like with any other eye surgery, all patients will need to be considered suitable for the procedure and thoroughly assessed for any contraindications.
How a pterygium can affect cataract surgery
While both pterygium and cataracts can individually affect vision, the presence of pterygium may complicate cataract surgery and require some adjustments to be made to the treatment plan.
If the pterygium grows over the central part of the eye, which can happen if it is not treated early, it can obstruct the view needed for preoperative assessments, making it challenging to evaluate the lens and retina properly.
A large or inflamed pterygium can also obscure the surgeon’s view, complicating the procedure and increasing the risk of inflammation. The chronic ocular surface inflammation can lead to postoperative complications such as delayed healing, infection, or worsening of existing inflammation.
If left untreated, a pterygium can end up distorting the cornea and causing irregular astigmatism, which complicates the selection of an appropriate artificial lens for cataract surgery. The corneal distortion can lead to incorrect calculations, potentially resulting in suboptimal visual outcomes after surgery.
Patients with pterygium may also experience delayed healing due to the compromised ocular surface, which can affect the overall recovery process and final visual outcome. Due to difficulties in obtaining precise preoperative measurements, patients might face an unexpected refractive outcome, which can mean that further correction with glasses, contact lenses, or further surgical intervention may be needed.
How both conditions can be effectively managed
Managing pterygium in patients requiring cataract surgery generally requires a strategic and personalised approach.
In cases where the pterygium significantly distorts the cornea or affects the visual axis, it may be advisable to perform pterygium removal surgery before undergoing cataract surgery. Treating the pterygium first allows the eye to heal and stabilise, providing more accurate corneal measurements for cataract surgery later on.
If a pterygium is not considered severe, both of the procedures, to remove a pterygium and cataract, may be performed simultaneously – however, this would be a much more complicated approach.
Before undergoing any eye treatment, the condition of your eyes will need to be thoroughly assessed. Your assessment can involve various techniques, including advanced digital imaging, to provide your ophthalmologist with a clear overview of your condition.
To create a highly individualised procedure plan, carefully considering the treatment needs of both conditions, your ophthalmologist with carefully plan the steps of your treatment after assessing your personal needs.
Your ophthalmologist will aim to treat both conditions in an effective manner, whether they will recommend treating the pterygium before undergoing cataract surgery or treating both at the same time.
Valley Eye Specialists: Cataract surgery performed by experienced ophthalmologists in Brisbane
If you need cataract surgery, experienced ophthalmologists who operate at Valley Eye will carefully assess your eyes for any other conditions present, including pterygium, to create an appropriate treatment plan.
Ophthalmologists who operate at Valley Eye Specialists can perform cataract surgery at Brisbane Day Surgery or North West Private Hospital.
During a consultation, you will discuss how both pterygium and cataracts can be treated in a way that considers your needs and prevents complications as much as possible.
If you have any questions about either condition or how they can be treated, please feel free to contact our team. For a comprehensive eye assessment, please contact our team today to organise your consultation!