Medically reviewed by Dr. Bijan Cohenmehr, OD Last reviewed
Pinguecula: Symptoms, Causes & Treatment
The desert-and-beach bump — common, benign, and worth calming.
A pinguecula is a small yellowish thickening on the white of the eye, usually on the nose-side, built by years of UV, wind and dryness. It is benign — but it can flare red and gritty, and it marks an eye that wants better sun protection.
- What it is
- A benign surface thickening
- Built by
- UV, wind, dryness
- When it flares
- Red, gritty, dry-feeling
- It is not
- A growth onto the cornea
Managing it
Calm the flares, slow the cause.
- When it is quiet
No treatment needed: just UV-blocking sunwear and lubrication on windy, dry days.
- When it flares
Lubricants and short courses of anti-inflammatory drops settle pingueculitis quickly; dry eye treatment keeps it settled.
- When it changes
A bump that starts advancing onto the cornea has become a pterygium conversation. We track it with photos and co-manage it if surgery is ever warranted.
The long game
Sunglasses are the treatment plan.
- UV-blocking sunwear every bright day, with prescription options in our optical
- Lubrication against wind and dry air
- Photos at your exams so change never sneaks past
Pinguecula near you
12222 Wilshire Blvd, on the Santa Monica border.
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Next step
A bump that flares every windy week?
One look from an eye doctor in Los Angeles confirms it, and the calm-it-down plan is simple.