Diagnosis and Tests
How is a pinguecula diagnosed?
Your eye care provider can diagnose a pinguecula with a normal eye exam. Your provider will use a slit lamp to closely examine the growth. A slit lamp is a microscope that focuses a narrow “slit” of bright light onto your eye. It can help them distinguish between a pinguecula and similar-looking growths.
Management and Treatment
How do healthcare providers treat a pinguecula?
Most pingueculae won’t need any treatment. If your pinguecula irritates your eye or feels like a foreign body in your eye, your provider may recommend artificial tear drops to treat it. If that doesn’t help enough, they may prescribe medical eye drops, such as steroid eye drops to treat the inflammation.
When do they remove a pinguecula?
Most pingueculae don’t need to be removed. But your pinguecula won’t go away on its own. Eye surgery is the only way to remove it. Ophthalmologists can — but don’t often — remove a pinguecula for cosmetic reasons alone. They might suggest removing it under more unusual circumstances, like if it:
- Gets irritated or inflamed a lot
- Grows too close to your cornea and affects your vision
- Makes it difficult to wear your contact lenses
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