Archive for September, 2011
Pterygium Specialist – Denver
- Image via Wikipedia
What is Pterygium?
Pterygium (pronounced “tur-RIDGE-ium”) in Denver Colorado is a pinkish-yellow, triangular-shaped benign tissue growth starting from the nasal area of your eye and grows toward the cornea. The pterygium can vary in appearance. It can range from a small hard to see tissue mass to a large red and very noticeable growth. Pterygium may be yellow, gray, white, pink, red, or even colorless. As a pterygium grows, it can be varied in its appearance from small and pink to large and angry red with symptoms of dry eye. Pterygium may have blood vessels. Over time, it may cause visual disturbances by disrupting the normally smooth surface of the cornea. In severe cases, a pterygium can block a patient’s vision altogether. If you think you might be experiencing the growth of such tissue please be sure to contact Dr. Paul Cutarelli, M.D. in Denver, Colorado for an immediate exam. Call us at:
303-486-2020
Most patients in Denver, Colorado with pterygium contact Dr. Paul Cutarelli, M.D. either due to concern regarding the appearance of the lesion, or because the lesion is irritating the eye or it is adversely affecting vision. If your pterygium grows over the front surface of your eye, surgical removal will be required. The pterygium surgery can be performed several times when a patient requires multiple surgeries to completely remove the growth, restoring vision. More information regarding Pterygium, Denver Colorado
Pterygium Symptoms
It is possible that a patient with pterygium has no symptoms, but this is rare. Symptoms are usually first noticed on the conjunctiva, and then is noted to gradually grow onto the cornea of the eye. Most patients have a variety of symptoms including redness, swelling, itching, irritation, and maybe even blurred vision depending on the severity. When this growth extends onto the cornea it is called a pterygium. If left alone, some pterygia will eventually grow to obscure the optical center of the eye, thereby obstructing vision.
Preventing Pterygium in Denver Colorado
There is nothing that has been clearly shown to prevent a pterygium. Because exposure to UV radiation is a major cause of this disease protecting your eyes from exposure to the sun is critical. When doing outdoor activities it is advised to wear UV Coated sunglasses and maybe wear a hat. Of course these types of precautions are more important if you live in tropical areas or are frequently in the sun. UV damage can be severe and we advise against unnecessary exposure to UV radiation.
Pterygium Surgery in Denver Colorado | Dr. Paul Cutarelli, M.D.
Dr. Paul Cutarelli performs state-of-the-art pterygium removal surgery in Denver Colorado and is well known for his “no-stitch” surgical technique and instrumentation. He performs a complete excision of this lesion using no stitches during this surgery, and instead applies a special surgical glue*. This highly specialized method for pterygium removal has raised the bar in looks and comfort for patients with pterygium. Patients from all over the country come to Cutarelli Vision for the expertise of Dr. Paul Cutarelli and his method to remove pterygiums. No-Stitch surgery is possible by use of modern tissue adhesive. Often composed of clotting proteins from human blood the tissue adhesive allows the surgeon to secure an autograft in a short amount of time. Once the abnormal tissue is removed a thin graft of normal tissue is used to replace the damaged area.