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 The Eye Care
& Surgery Center at 908-789-8999, visit The Eye Care
& Surgery Center,
Google+
or facebook.com/eyecareandsurgerycenter to schedule an appointment.
The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield
Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey
07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout
central and northern New Jersey.
