Don’t panic if you notice a yellow lump on the eyeball. This condition can occur due to the appearance of pinguecula in the eye. Although not dangerous, this condition can cause eye discomfort.
Pinguecula is a benign or non-cancerous growth in the eye that can appear in more than one eye. This growth can occur on the conjunctiva which is a thin layer to cover the white part of the eyeball.
This condition can be experienced by anyone, but pinguecula often appears in people in the elderly or middle age group.
Causes of Pinguecula
A pinguecula forms when there is a change in the conjunctival tissue that causes a small lump. The lumps that appear can contain calcium, fat, or both.
Changes in the conjunctival tissue that occur due to direct exposure to sunlight cause degeneration of the abundant elastin fibers in the conjunctival tissue.
Apart from sun exposure, changes can also occur due to exposure to dust, dirt, and wind in the eyes. In addition, increasing age is also one of the triggers. This is the reason this condition is prone to occur in the elderly.
Pinguecula Risk Factors
There are various risk factors that trigger this condition, such as:
- Work in the field or outdoors every day.
- Work in an area with air pollution.
- Often exposed to direct sunlight.
- Frequent use of tanning equipment.
- Living in a hot or humid environment.
Pinguecula Symptoms
The main symptom of this condition is the appearance of a lump on the white part of the eye. In addition, there are several other symptoms that will be disturbing, such as:
- Dry eyes
- Redness of the eyes
- Feeling that something is stuck in the eye.
- The eyes feel very itchy.
- Eye pain
- Hot sensation in the eyes.
- Changes in the shape of the eye.
Diagnosis
A medical team led by a doctor can carry out a physical examination if you experience health complaints related to this disease. The doctor will also ask about your work history or daily activities to ascertain the cause of the eye health complaints you are experiencing.
The medical team will also do an eye examination using a slit lamp to ensure eye health. If the doctor suspects that there are other disorders, the doctor can carry out an examination by taking a conjunctival biopsy so that the cause is known precisely.
Pinguecula Treatment
If the lump that appears in the eye doesn’t cause a problem that is severe enough, then there is no treatment or treatment that you need to do. However, to reduce the risk of eye symptoms, the doctor will give eye drops to make the eye condition more comfortable.
However, if the lump is very disturbing, you can do surgery to remove the pinguecula. Apart from that, the doctor will also consider surgical procedures when:
- The lump grows right above the cornea because it can cause vision problems.
- Causes a lot of discomfort.
- Experiencing inflammation that does not improve.
