Conjunctival papilloma, pinguecula and pterygium are only a few causes for a bump on the pupil of your eye. Each of these conditions is treatable, so it's important to receive the opinion of an optometrist to determine if treatment is necessary. An optometrist can also rule out cancer as a possible cause to your bump.
Identification
Bumps caused by conjunctival papilloma are usually painless and typically cause no vision problems. These growths can vary in size, shape, quantity and location. In severe cases, the growths can cover a large area of the eye, including areas of the pupil. Pinguecula has yellowish-white lesions that form on the open space between your eyelids. Pterygiums are wedge-shaped benign lesions that extend onto the cornea. If pterygium is causing irritation, it will feel like something is in your eye.
Causes
Conjunctival papilloma is caused by types 6 and 11 of the human papillomavirus, also known as HPV. Patients with a history of warts have a greater risk of conjunctival papilloma, according to DermNet NZ. Lesions from pingueculae are most common in middle-aged or older people who spend a lot of time in the sun without appropriate eye protection, but it can occur at any age, according to All About Vision. Exposure to UV light also contributes to pterygium and is most often seen in people from tropical climates, according to the "Digital Journal of Ophthalmology."
Diagnosis
Your optometrist can typically diagnose any of the three eye conditions after performing an examination. In some cases, he may need to take a biopsy of the affected cells and view them under a microscope to make a definitive diagnosis.
Treatments
Cryotherapy and surgical excision are the most common treatments for conjunctival papilloma. Pinguecula can be treated with prescription-strength lubricating eye drops, steroid drops or non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, according to All About Vision. In severe cases of pinguecula, the lesion will need to be surgically removed. Pterygium can also be treated with mild steroid eye drops and may need to be surgically removed if the bump grows far enough into the cornea that it affects your vision, according to Digital Journal of Ophthalmology.
Considerations
Intraocular melanoma is the most common cancer of the eyeball, so it's important to have any growths or abnormal changes in your vision examined by your optometrist. If tumors are caught while they're small and have not spread, it increases your chance of recovery without negative vision changes. Excess sun exposure without eye protection increases your risk of eye cancer, pterygium and pinguecula.
