Dr. Wayne R Koehler OD

Eye swollen?

Hi, without examining your eye with a microscope, it is difficult to know for sure, but it certainly appears to be a pterygium. It is an abnormal growth of the tissue that overlies the white of the eye(sclera). That tissue is called the conjunctival tissue, which normally just overlies the white of the eye. When it grows onto the cornea, the clear cap of the front of the eye, it is called a pterygium. Sun and wind promotes further growth. Use sunglasses outside. The swelling or elevation of the tissue can happen over time. This is not an infection, so I would stop the oral antibiotic. If there is mucus coming out of the eye, that would likely indicate a bacterial infection. The only way to get rid of it completely, is to surgically remove it, ie cut it off which I would not recommend at this point. If you are noticing soreness of the eye, watering of the eye from dryness, (Watering can also be a symptom of a viral infection) then a prescription for anti-inflammatory drops can be given, but no eye doctor will prescribe those without examining your eyes with the microscope and using different stains to make sure that is not the case. Giving steroid drops, without making sure it is not a viral infection, like the cold sore virus, is like throwing gas on a fire. I do not think you need to go in to be examined just yet, as you have no excess tearing, irritation or redness of the eye, which would indicate a viral infection. I also do not think you need the steroid drops now. The pterygium is elevated so it breaks up the tear layer on the eye and that can cause dryness. If that is the case then I would put some non-preserved lubricating ointment in your eye at bedtime. You can buy that OTC. All this assumes you have no pain/irritation of the eye, no redness or other signs of infection. If you have just noticed this on your eye, then I would just make sure you have sunglasses on outside. This typically takes years to grow, so there is no immediate effect. The sunglasses will not make what you have go away. It is to prevent worsening over time. Hope this is of some benefit to you. READ MORE