Pterygium Excision
What is Pterygium Excision?
Pterygium excision is a surgical procedure to remove a pterygium, a benign, wing-shaped growth of conjunctival tissue that extends onto the cornea, often caused by UV exposure or chronic irritation. It’s typically performed when the pterygium affects vision, causes discomfort, or for cosmetic reasons. In India, pterygium excision is conducted in ophthalmology departments at hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, and AIIMS, often at affordable costs. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and frequently asked questions (FAQs) is essential for patients in India to make informed decisions.
Why do you need Pterygium Excision?
Pterygium excision is indicated for:
- Vision impairment:
- Growth over the cornea: Causes astigmatism or blocks the visual axis (e.g., encroaching pupil).
- Symptomatic pterygium:
- Irritation: Redness, foreign body sensation, or dryness.
- Inflammation: Recurrent redness or discomfort, unresponsive to drops.
- Cosmetic concerns:
- Visible growth: Affects appearance, esp. if large or progressive.
- Progression:
- Growing toward the center of the cornea; early removal prevents scarring.
The procedure aims to remove the pterygium and prevent recurrence, often using techniques like conjunctival autograft or amniotic membrane transplantation to cover the excision site and promote healing.
Why Do Pterygium Excision Costs Vary in India?
Costs range from ₹15,000 to ₹50,000:
- Procedure Type: Simple excision (₹15,000–₹25,000); with autograft or AMT (₹25,000–₹50,000).
- Hospital/Location: Higher in metro cities (Apollo, Fortis); lower in government hospitals (AIIMS, ₹5,000–₹15,000; often subsidized under schemes like Ayushman Bharat).
- Surgeon’s Expertise: Experienced ophthalmologists charge more.
- Additional Costs: Pre-op tests (₹1,000–₹3,000), medications (₹1,000–₹3,000), fibrin glue or AMT (₹5,000–₹10,000).
- Insurance: Covered for symptomatic pterygium (e.g., vision impairment); cosmetic cases may not be covered; confirm with your provider.
Pterygium Excision Procedure
- Before Surgery Evaluation:
- Diagnosis:
- Slit-lamp exam: Confirms pterygium size, location, and corneal involvement.
- Visual acuity test: Assesses vision impairment (e.g., astigmatism).
- Corneal topography: Maps corneal distortion (if vision affected).
- Blood tests: Not typically needed unless systemic conditions (e.g., diabetes) suspected.
- Medications: Stop contact lenses 1–2 weeks prior if used; antibiotic eye drops (e.g., moxifloxacin) 1 day pre-surgery.
- Consent: Risks, including recurrence, are explained.
- Diagnosis:
- Surgical Techniques:
- Pterygium Excision with Conjunctival Autograft:
- Performed under local anesthesia (topical drops or subconjunctival injection), lasting 30–45 minutes.
- The pterygium is carefully dissected and removed from the cornea and sclera.
- The underlying corneal surface is polished to remove residual tissue (reduces recurrence).
- A conjunctival autograft (healthy tissue from the patient’s own eye, usually superior conjunctiva) is harvested, placed over the excision site, and secured with sutures (e.g., 10-0 nylon) or fibrin glue.
- Pterygium Excision with Amniotic Membrane Transplantation (AMT):
- Used if conjunctival tissue is insufficient (e.g., prior surgeries); amniotic membrane (preserved donor tissue) is placed over the excision site.
- Adjunctive Measures:
- Mitomycin-C (MMC, 0.02%): Applied for 1–2 minutes to reduce recurrence risk (used selectively due to potential toxicity).
- Intraoperative Tools:
- Operating microscope: Enhances precision.
- Mitomycin-C: Reduces recurrence (optional).
- Fibrin glue: Secures graft (alternative to sutures).
- Pterygium Excision with Conjunctival Autograft:
- After Surgery:
- Observation: 1–2 hours; same-day discharge.
- Eye care: Antibiotic drops (e.g., moxifloxacin) and steroid drops (e.g., prednisolone) for 4–6 weeks; artificial tears for dryness.
- Pain management: Mild discomfort for 1–2 days; managed with acetaminophen.
- Instructions: Avoid rubbing the eye, water exposure, or dusty environments for 2 weeks; wear sunglasses for UV protection.
Recovery After Pterygium Excision
- Immediate Recovery: Same-day discharge; mild redness and discomfort for 1–2 days.
- Post-Surgery Care:
- Discomfort: Mild irritation or foreign body sensation for 1–2 weeks; managed with drops.
- Vision: Blurry for a few days if cornea involved; improves in 1–2 weeks; astigmatism reduction stabilizes in 1–2 months.
- Eye care: Antibiotic/steroid drops for 4–6 weeks; artificial tears for 1–2 months (dryness common).
- Activity: Avoid rubbing the eye, swimming, or dusty environments for 2 weeks; normal activities (e.g., reading) in 2–3 days.
- Redness: Persists for 2–4 weeks; gradually resolves.
- Sutures (if used): Removed after 1–2 weeks (if not dissolvable).
- Follow-Up:
- Visits at 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, then 3–6 months to monitor healing and recurrence.
- Visual acuity: Assessed at 1 month to confirm improvement.
Most resume normal activities in 3–5 days; full recovery takes 4–6 weeks. Success rate: 90–95% achieve symptom relief and improved vision; recurrence rate 5–10% with autograft, 20–30% without.
Risks and Complications
- Surgical Risks:
- Infection (1–2%): Conjunctival or corneal infection; treated with antibiotics, may lead to scarring.
- Bleeding (1–3%): Subconjunctival hemorrhage; resolves in 1–2 weeks.
- Graft failure (2–5%): Autograft or AMT detaches; may need re-grafting.
- Post-Surgery:
- Recurrence (5–30%): Lower with autograft (5–10%) or MMC; higher without (20–30%); may need repeat surgery.
- Dry eyes (5–10%): Temporary; managed with artificial tears.
- Corneal scarring (1–3%): If pterygium deeply involved cornea; may affect vision, rare.
- Granuloma (1–2%): Suture reaction; may need removal or steroids.
- Long-Term:
- Astigmatism (2–5%): Residual or induced; may need glasses or contact lenses.
- MMC toxicity (<1%): Rare; corneal or scleral thinning if overused.
Report severe pain, sudden vision loss, or increased redness promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What causes a pterygium?
UV exposure, dust, wind, chronic irritation; more common in tropical climates and outdoor workers.
Can I avoid pterygium excision?
Yes, if asymptomatic: Lubricating drops for mild irritation; surgery is for vision impairment, significant discomfort, or cosmetic concerns.
Is pterygium excision painful?
No, performed under anesthesia; mild discomfort for 1–2 days post-surgery, managed with medication.
How soon can I resume activities?
Light activities in 2–3 days; normal routines in 1–2 weeks; full recovery in 4–6 weeks.
Is pterygium excision covered by insurance in India?
Yes, for symptomatic cases (e.g., vision impairment); cosmetic cases may not be covered; confirm with your provider.
Signs of complications?
Severe pain, sudden vision loss, or increased redness.
Will my pterygium grow back?
Recurrence rate is 5–10% with autograft, 20–30% without; UV protection and follow-ups reduce risk.
Lifestyle changes post-surgery?
Wear sunglasses for UV protection, avoid dust/wind exposure, use prescribed drops, and attend follow-ups.
Conclusion
Pterygium excision is a safe, effective procedure to remove a pterygium, relieving symptoms, improving vision, and addressing cosmetic concerns with a low recurrence rate when using modern techniques like conjunctival autograft. India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, AIIMS) provide affordable, expert care, often covered by insurance for symptomatic cases. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs helps patients approach surgery confidently. Consult an ophthalmologist for personalized guidance and optimal outcomes.
Looking for Best Hospitals for Pterygium excision
Note: we are not promoting any hospitals
we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)
- click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
| City | Minimum Price (₹) | Maximum Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
Agra |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Ahmedabad |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Ajmer |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Aligarh |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Allahabad |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Amritsar |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Aurangabad |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Bangalore |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Bareilly |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Belgaum |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Bhopal |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Bikaner |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Chandigarh |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Chennai |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Coimbatore |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Dehradun |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Delhi |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Dhanbad |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Durgapur |
20,000 |
20,000 |
Faridabad |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Ghaziabad |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Gorakhpur |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Guntur |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Gurgaon |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Guwahati |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Gwalior |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Hyderabad |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Indore |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Jabalpur |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Jaipur |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Jalandhar |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Jamshedpur |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Jodhpur |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Kanpur |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Kochi |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Kolkata |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Kollam |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Lucknow |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Ludhiana |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Madurai |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Mangalore |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Meerut |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Moradabad |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Mumbai |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Mysore |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Nagpur |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Nashik |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Noida |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Patna |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Pune |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Raipur |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Rajkot |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Ranchi |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Surat |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Thane |
25,000 |
80,000 |
Vadodara |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Varanasi |
20,000 |
70,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
22,000 |
75,000 |
Disclaimer
This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.