Natural treatment for pterygium

Is there a natural treatment for pterygium?

As a specialist in ophthalmology, with a sub-specialty in diseases of the anterior segment of the eye, the cornea and the outer surface of the eye, I often encounter patients with pterygium. They often ask me whether there is a natural and non-invasive treatment for pterygium. The short answer is that there is no magic or natural treatment that can make the pterygium disappear, and in fact what is required in order to treat pterygium definitively is surgery to remove the pterygium.

Is there an alternative to surgery in treating pterygium?

So what can nevertheless be done in order to treat pterygium without performing surgery? The answer is that it very much depends on the symptoms and the reason for turning up for the treatment of the pterygium. The common reasons for turning to a doctor because of pterygium are:

• A pterygium that involves the visual axis and brings about a reduction in vision
• A pterygium that causes distortion of the cornea and thereby brings about a reduction in vision
• A pterygium that worries the patient from a cosmetic aspect
• A pterygium that worries the patient or the referring doctor because it is suspected of being a malignant tumour
• An inflamed pterygium that brings about signs of redness in the eye, itching in the eye and discomfort

If the reason for turning up is one of the first four reasons, then there is no natural treatment that can ease things for the patient, and the only treatment that can correct the situation (as of the year 2021) is surgery to remove the pterygium.

On the other hand, if the reason for turning up is an inflamed pterygium with redness in the eyes, itching and sensations of discomfort that somewhat resemble the discomfort arising from dry eyes, then a number of less invasive treatments that can ease the symptoms can certainly be carried out. First and foremost, treatment with preservative-free tear substitutes can ease the discomfort in situations of an inflamed pterygium, although they will not treat the underlying cause. A further treatment that can be tried is a "mild" steroid with low potency to raise intraocular pressure. It should be noted that a steroid will help reduce the signs of inflammation and redness, but it is not advisable to use this treatment beyond a few weeks, since almost any steroid can cause a rise in intraocular pressure following prolonged use. In addition, it is important to remember that this will not cause regression of the pterygium and that there may be a situation in which, following various triggers, the pterygium can become inflamed again. In such a situation, it is not advisable to resort again and again to the use of steroids because of that same concern of a rise in intraocular pressure.

Is a steroid really a natural treatment for pterygium?

Beyond that, there are quite a few patients for whom a steroid is not a natural treatment for pterygium and therefore in fact they are looking for a kind of grandmother's remedy that can be of benefit and reduce their symptoms.

Therefore, unfortunately, I am not aware of any studies that have demonstrated an effective natural treatment for pterygium.