From causes to cures, here’s your guide to the pesky eye-growth known as pterygium.
By: Dashel Pierson | Surfline.com
Surfer’s eye, or pterygium as it’s known scientifically, may seem like an obscure disorder, one which affects only the saltiest of elder surfers at your local break and is commonly recognized by its uncommon name (hint: the “p” is silent, like pterodactyl).
But in reality, research shows that the pesky eyeball growths impact about 2% of people in the northern half of the continental United States, while 5-15% in the lower half. Internationally, the rate of pterygia (plural for pterygium) increases among populations living closer to the equator.
And surfers are more prone to pterygia than anyone – given our prolonged exposure to sun, sand and saltwater.