{"id":18225,"date":"2021-02-26T09:27:41","date_gmt":"2021-02-26T08:27:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ophtalmo-bw.be\/?page_id=18225"},"modified":"2025-04-28T16:10:54","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T14:10:54","slug":"pterygium","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/en\/pterygium\/","title":{"rendered":"Pterygium: Benign Eyelid Growth"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\n \n \n \n<\/a>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pterygium<\/strong> is a benign tissue growth<\/strong> that develops on the white part of the eye<\/strong> (the sclera), usually on the inside of the eye, and can extend to the cornea. It is often referred to as a \u201cfly membrane\u201d because of its appearance, as it often resembles a triangular shape extending from the eyelid to the pupil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Causes of Pterygium<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The exact cause of pterygium is not fully understood, but it is often associated with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Prolonged exposure to sunlight<\/strong> (UV radiation), especially in tropical and sunny climates.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Smoke<\/strong> and pollution<\/strong> can increase the risk.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Dry air<\/strong> or wind<\/strong> can contribute to the development of pterygium.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Genetic predisposition<\/strong>: Some people may be more prone to developing pterygium due to hereditary factors.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Symptoms of Pterygium<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    In many cases, pterygium is asymptomatic<\/strong> and does not cause serious complaints. However, when it becomes larger or spreads to the cornea, the following symptoms may occur:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Red, irritated eyes<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Dryness or a gritty feeling<\/strong> in the eye<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Blurred vision<\/strong> (if the pterygium extends to the cornea)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Loss of aesthetic appearance<\/strong>, because the growth is visible to the eye<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Treatment of Pterygium<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Most pterygium do not require medical treatment unless they cause symptoms or affect vision. Treatment options may include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • Eye Drops or Ointments<\/strong>: If pterygium is mild, artificial tears<\/strong> or anti-inflammatory eye drops<\/strong> may help relieve irritation.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Chirurgische verwijdering<\/strong>: Als het pterygium grote ongemakken veroorzaakt, het zicht belemmert of cosmetisch storend is, kan een chirurgische ingreep worden uitgevoerd om het weefsel te verwijderen.\n
          \n
        • Postoperatieve zorg<\/strong> kan antibiotische oogdruppels of stero\u00efden omvatten om ontsteking te verminderen en het risico van terugkeer te verkleinen.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Complications and Return<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          Although most pterygium are treatable, the tissue can return<\/strong> after surgery, especially if the underlying causes, such as sun exposure, are not addressed. It is important to wear sun protection and protect the eyes from irritants after surgical treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Prevention<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

          To reduce the chance of developing pterygium, the following preventive measures can be taken:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Using artificial tears<\/strong> in dry climates may help reduce eye irritation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          UV Protection<\/strong>: Wear sunglasses<\/strong> with UV protection and a hat to protect your eyes from the sun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Avoiding smoking and polluted environments<\/strong> can reduce the risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          Pterygium is een goedaardige weefselgroei die zich ontwikkelt op het witte deel van het oog (het sclera), meestal aan de binnenkant van het oog en kan zich uitstrekken naar de hoornvlies (cornea). Het wordt vaak aangeduid als een “vliegvlies” vanwege zijn uiterlijk, aangezien het vaak lijkt op een driehoekige vorm die zich uitstrekt van het […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-18225","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\n%title%<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/en\/pterygium\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"%title%\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pterygium is een goedaardige weefselgroei die zich ontwikkelt op het witte deel van het oog (het sclera), meestal aan de binnenkant van het oog en kan zich uitstrekken naar de hoornvlies (cornea). Het wordt vaak aangeduid als een “vliegvlies” vanwege zijn uiterlijk, aangezien het vaak lijkt op een driehoekige vorm die zich uitstrekt van het […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/en\/pterygium\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Vision-Centrum Berchem\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-28T14:10:54+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pterygion-2.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/pterygium\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/pterygium\/\",\"name\":\"%title%\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/pterygium\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/pterygium\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pterygion-2.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-02-26T08:27:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-28T14:10:54+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/pterygium\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/pterygium\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/pterygium\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pterygion-2.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Pterygion-2.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/pterygium\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Accueil\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Pterygium: Goedaardige Ooglidgroei\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/\",\"name\":\"Vision-Centrum Berchem\",\"description\":\"Sommige dingen zijn zeldzaam, uw zicht is uniek\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Vision-Centrum Berchem\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VISION-CENTRUM-vectorise-1.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/VISION-CENTRUM-vectorise-1.svg\",\"width\":2835,\"height\":2834,\"caption\":\"Vision-Centrum Berchem\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"%title%","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/vision-centrum.be\/en\/pterygium\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"%title%","og_description":"Pterygium is een goedaardige weefselgroei die zich ontwikkelt op het witte deel van het oog (het sclera), meestal aan de binnenkant van het oog en kan zich uitstrekken naar de hoornvlies (cornea). 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