Does a Pterygium or "Surfer's Eye" Increase
Melanoma Risk?
A
pterygium (pronounced “tuh-RIJ-ee-uhm”) is an elevated, wedged-shaped bump of
tissue on your eyeball that starts on the sclera or white of your eye-most
often on the side near your nose and can extend to the cornea. Although A
pterygium is commonly referred to as "surfer's eye" because being around bright sunlight for long
periods of time-particularly the harmful UV reflected light from water such as
the ocean-can increase your risk. But there are other causes as well and you don't have to be a surfer or ever see the
ocean to get a pterygium. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun appears to be the
primary cause for the growth of pterygia but exposure to dust and wind along
with dry eye disease are very common causes. Pterygia usually develop in 30- to
50-year-olds, and are rarely are found in children. If you have a light skin
complexion and light eyes you have a greater chance of getting a pterygium.
Recently,
researchers reporting in the British Journal of Ophthalmology reported the results of a
study that considered whether people who had pterygia were at greater risk of
melanoma skin cancer. They felt that since pterygia seemed to me more common in
light skinned, light eyed people who were exposed to a lot of sunlight, that maybe
they had greater melanoma skin cancer risk. They found that having a pterygium indicates a significantly increased
risk of developing a melanoma of the skin and that eye care providers who see
patients with developing pterygia should advise these patients of this
increased risk and recommend regular skin surveillance with a dermatologist. Further, we know that if a pterygium becomes
inflamed and affects the cornea, excision- pterygium surgery-may be necessary
to avoid vision changes from corneal distortion or even scarring.
If you or someone you know has a pterygium please
schedule an eye exam at Doctor &
Associates-203-227-4113, visit Doctor & Associates
in Fairfield County, Google+ or
facebook.com/doctorandassociates to schedule an appointment.
Doctor & Associates offices are located
at 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, Connecticut 06880, 195 Danbury Road,
Wilton, Connecticut 06897 and 148 East Avenue, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851.
