Pterygium

Pterygium is a condition in one's eye whereby part of the white eye becomes reddish and there is some white thing (I don't know what is it called" encroached into the cornea. For better imagination of pterygium, the image below describes everything about it.

Pterygium

I was suffering from pterygium for at least the past five (5) years. When I said suffering, I do not mean like real suffer like when one suffers from cancer but with my eyes condition (both eyes), it caused me a lot of uncomfortable and irritation. My eyes would turn very itchy that made me to rub my eyes most of the time, which was not a god thing to do. But what choice did I have?

So, finally a couple of months ago, I went to consult an ophthalmologist, Dr. Tan Niap Ming at Twin Tower Medical Centre at KLCC. I knew nothing about her before I met her but on my first visit, I saw Tun Dr. Siti Hasah came out from Dr. Tan's room. Ok, I talked to myself that this fella must be someone good in this field as even Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah consulted her. I built my confidence in her and when I finally met Dr. Tan, she advised me that I need to the operation on both eyes to remove those reddish and the white thing n my eyes. However, she said that it is not so urgent and the thing may come back later, taking into consideration of my age factor, she meant I am still young for the thing to happen again. Aferall, pterygium does not have effect on my vision.

Pterygium is caused by two factors i.e. genetic and too much sun exposure.

Then I went for second opinion at Tun Hussein Onn National Eye Hospital in PJ and consulted Ophthalmologist, Dr. Zainal Mohamad. He told me the same thing as what Dr. Tan told me. But Dr. Zainal did tell me that as of now, the white thing has encroached into my cornea as far as 2mm, So, it was still ok. But if it has gone up tp 4mm, there is no other alternative but to do surgery, otherwise, I can afect my vision and that is the last thing that I want to happen to myself.

So, finally I decided to undergo the operation. It was done at the Prince Court Medical Centre. A bit about Prince Court, to me it is a first class five star hospital. As I entered the lobby, I felt like I was n a hotel and not hospital. The arrangement in the building makes you feel comfortable that to certain extent, I did not feel like I was in a hospital. Superb!!! But I was there of course because my Company was paying for my surgery. If it was my own money, I would have done it at HUKM or GH.

The surgery was done on 14/6/2008 (my right eye) and on 21/6/2008 (my left eye). Each surgery took about half an hour to complete. It was quite a simple operation. My eyes was given the anaesthetic before the operation and throughout the operation, I could see the scissor and whatever equipment the doctor used touched my eyes. But I was 100% confident with Dr. Tan so, I was not worry at all. How she did was she removed the affected tissue from my eye and replaced it with the upper right tissue in my same eye. Sound simple right? At then end of the surgery, my eye was covered for one (1) day. I was a pirate for one (1) day. Pirate of the Carribbean.

Myself after the first surgey on 14/6/208

After the surgery, I was shown the surgery process (which was recorded). It was scary I tell you. Looking at how the doctor pull the reddish thing and then cut it with the scissor just like a tailor cutting cloth to make baju kurung.

And now I am resting at home (not really resting because I am blogging right now). I was given medical leave for three weeks until 5/7/08. I am still in the process of recovery. So, my next badminton session with my friends at BNM is sometimes in September but close to fasting month. Looks like I have to hang my racket for quite some time. Penantian satu penyeksaan...