Pterygium is:
A pterygium is a proliferation of fibrovascular tissue on the surface of the eye, which extends onto the cornea. The etiology of pterygium is incompletely understood. However, chronic UV exposure is accepted as a causative agent. Treatment options: Pterygia are usually treated only when they interfere with vision. The standard therapy is surgical removal. Pterygia affect astigmatism and are associated with increased rates of macular degeneration; however, it is unclear whether treatment reduces this risk. Eyes with a pterygium or previous pterygium surgery (but not pinguecula) have a higher risk of incident late age-related maculopathy (ARM) (OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.1-10.3) and early ARM (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.1-2.9). Ref: Chumley H. (2009). Chapter 11. Pterygium. In R.P. Usatine, M.A. Smith, H. Chumley, E. Mayeaux, Jr., J. Tysinger (Eds), The Color Atlas of Family Medicine.
Vascular anomaly
Connective tissue proliferation
Inflammatory condition
Associated with Vit. A deficiency