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 D’Ambrosio Eye Care at 800-325-3937, visit D’Ambrosio Eye Care,
Google+
or facebook.com/dambrosioeyecare so that we can help.
D'Ambrosio Eye Care provides eye care for patients throughout greater
Boston, central and western Massachusetts with office locations at 479 Old
Union Turnpike, Lancaster, Massachusetts 01523, 865 Merriam Avenue, Suite 119,
Leominster, Massachusetts 01453, 100 Powder Mill Road, Acton, Massachusetts
01720, 413 Main Street, Athol, Massachusetts 01331, 74 Main Street, Gardner,
Massachusetts 01440 and 255 Park Avenue, Suite 606, Worcester, Massachusetts
01609.
