A 58-year-old farmer has a wedge-shaped, pinkish, clear growth on the nasal side of the eye with a sense of foreign body sensation. This is most likely a:

A 58-year-old farmer has a wedge-shaped, pinkish, clear growth on the nasal side of the eye with a sense of foreign body sensation. This is most likely a:

• A. Pinguecula.
• B. Pterygium.
• C. Stye.
• D. Xanthelasma.

Answer: (B)

This item tests recognizing pterygium, a fibrovascular growth that starts on the bulbar conjunctiva on the nasal side and extends toward the cornea. The wedge-shaped, pinkish, clear appearance with irritation and a sensation of a foreign body fits this lesion, especially in someone with outdoor sun exposure like a farmer. Pterygium typically grows from the nasal conjunctiva and encroaches onto the corneal surface, which explains the patient’s symptoms. Pinguecula, in contrast, is a yellowish, raised patch on the bulbar conjunctiva that does not invade the cornea. A stye is an acute infection of the eyelid margin, presenting as a painful lump at the lid margin rather than a conjunctival growth. Xanthelasma are yellowish plaques on the eyelids near the inner canthus, not a conjunctival growth extending onto the cornea.

This item tests recognizing pterygium, a fibrovascular growth that starts on the bulbar conjunctiva on the nasal side and extends toward the cornea. The wedge-shaped, pinkish, clear appearance with irritation and a sensation of a foreign body fits this lesion, especially in someone with outdoor sun exposure like a farmer. Pterygium typically grows from the nasal conjunctiva and encroaches onto the corneal surface, which explains the patient’s symptoms.

Pinguecula, in contrast, is a yellowish, raised patch on the bulbar conjunctiva that does not invade the cornea. A stye is an acute infection of the eyelid margin, presenting as a painful lump at the lid margin rather than a conjunctival growth. Xanthelasma are yellowish plaques on the eyelids near the inner canthus, not a conjunctival growth extending onto the cornea.