Pinguecula in a 36-Year-Old Woman

A 36-year-old woman was concerned about the diffuseyellow pigment at the temporal aspect of the conjunctivaof her right eye.This is a pinguecula. It is considered an elastoticdegeneration of the substantia propria and may be associatedwith exposure to ultraviolet light, dry climates,and dust.¹ This disorder usually occurs in aged persons.The lesion is often located on the nasal side of theconjunctiva. When a pinguecula advances from the conjunctivaonto the cornea, it becomes a pterygium (seecase on page 74). However, not all pterygiums originatefrom pingueculae.Pingueculae are asymptomatic. They require treatmentwith a short course of topical corticosteroids onlyif inflamed.

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REFERENCE:
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Tasman W, Jaeger EA. The Wills Eye Hospital Atlas of Clinical Ophthalmology.2nd ed. Philadelphia: Lippincott-Raven; 2001:55.