Eye Whitening? Really? By Dr. Steven Chander on July 14, 2015

Are your eyes always red?

Do you notice a bump or red spot in the corner of the white part of the eye?

Do you feel like there is always and eyelash or foreign particle sensation in your eyes?

Does the constant redness cause other people to always ask you why your eyes are always red?

Do eye drops that take the red out not really work anymore or as well as they should?

Well if "yes" was your answer to any of the above questions, you may have chronic dry eye or a pinguecula (ping-weck-you-la) or Pterygia (Terr-idge-gee-ya),

Pinguecula

The conjunctiva is a thin, clear layer of tissue that covers the white portion of the eye as well as the inside of the upper and lower eyelids.

A pinguecula is thought to be a thickening or degeneration of the conjunctival tissue covering the white part of the eye due to ultra-violet radiation (excessive sun exposure without protective polarized sunwear) and/or dryness. Typically, pinguecula are placed on either side of the clear part of your eye (the cornea) at 3 and 9 o'clock. They can be present on either side of the cornea but it's more common on the nasal side.

Pinguecula are very common in adults. They consist of fatty elastic type tissue. They stay relatively small but they can cause inflammation (red/irritated eyes). Irritation such as smoke, wind, dust, contact lenses or dry eyes are typically contributing causes. Recent studies indicate that pinguecula may be stimulated by ultraviolet exposure to the sun and man-made sources. All spectacle eyewear corrections should contain an ultraviolet coating to help prevent further irritation.

Pinguecula are no cause for alarm and are typically no significant concern from a cosmetic standpoint. Should a pinguecula become red or irritated, topical decongestants may be used to relieve the redness or the mild irritation that may result or Surgery may be recommended to eliminate irritation or cosmetic appearance.

Surgery for pinguecula involves:

About 8 - 15 minutes
You are awake during the procedure
One eye is done at a time
Eye drops are used to numb the eye, other drops for inflammation and antibiotic drops to prevent infection
The pinguecula tissue is cut out
Eye-Bright, or amniotic tissue is used to maintain healthy white appearance
Medication (eye drops) are used for 2 - 4 weeks after the procedure, with frequent eye doctor visits to check the eye pressure and healing
The cost for pinguecula surgery is about $1200 per eye