Question: I would appreciate your opinion on the cause of a pterygium in the eyes. Some say it is glare, others sand or other foreign matter in the eyes. How is this condition caused, and how do you prevent it?
A pterygium is a fleshy overgrowth of the white part of the eye (cornea) that grows across the colored part of the eye (iris). They develop very slowly over many years, but once they are half way across the iris, they should be removed in a simple operation to avoid growth across the pupil and blindness.
Pterygium are very common in Australia, but more so in the north than the south, as they are caused by recurrent mild sunburn to the cornea. The irritated tissue overgrows, and spreads across the eye. Farmers, sailors, drivers, outdoor workers and sports people are most prone to pterygium as glare and sun exposure are the prime cause. The problem can be prevented by wearing good quality (polarized) sun glasses.
A pterygium may become irritated, red and itchy at times. Simple drops available from chemists will ease this problem. Once present they will remain until removed surgically. There are no drops that will make them go away.

Question: My mother is having a vitrectomy. What sort of operation is this?
The eye contains a clear jelly-like substance called the vitreous. If this becomes discolored, the vision in that eye will be remarkably reduced, possibly to the point of blindness.
The most common cause of discoloration of the vitreous is bleeding into the eyeball. This can occur in high blood pressure, diabetes and injury. In the last few years, a very delicate operation has been devised in which the blood-stained vitreous can be removed from the eye and a new artificial substance substituted, allowing normal vision again. It is performed under a general anaesthetic by an ophthalmologist (eye doctor) who has had specialist training in this procedure.

Question: The doctor is concerned about my grand-daughter’s squint. What is a squint, and is it serious?
A squint (or strabismus, to give it its correct medical name), occurs when the two eyes do not align equally when looking at a distant object. One eye appears to be looking in one direction, while the other is looking in a different direction. This is quite normal when looking at something very close, as both eyes turn in to look at it.
If a child does have a significant squint, the brain will gradually suppress the sight in one eye, to avoid double vision. The affected eye may never learn to see again, resulting in the child becoming blind in that eye. The correction of a squint at an early age is therefore vital. Treatment usually involves prescribing special spectacles to correct the problem. If the squint is more severe, the good eye will be covered for a period every day, as well as using the glasses. This strengthens the vision in the poor eye and prevents blindness in that eye. In marked degrees of squint, it is necessary to operate on the tiny muscles that control eye movement to shorten those that are not pulling the eye around far enough.