Background: Pterygium is a disfiguring disease that can potentially lead to blindness. It is more common in warm, windy and dry climates of tropical and sub-tropical regions of Africa. Globally, the prevalence ranging from 0.07% to 53%.

Can pterygium lead to blindness?

How serious is it? A pterygium can lead to severe scarring on your cornea, but this is rare. Scarring on the cornea needs to be treated because it can cause vision loss. For minor cases, treatment usually involves eye drops or ointment to treat inflammation.

What can occur if pterygium is left untreated?

A pterygium is a growth of tissue in the corner of the eye, which is often triangular in shape. If left untreated, the growth can extend across the pupil obscuring vision or distorting the surface of the eye causing blurred vision.