| Dictionary, Encyclopedia and Thesaurus - The Free Dictionary 3,909,197,172 visitors served. |
Dictionary/ thesaurus | Medical dictionary | Legal dictionary | Financial dictionary | Acronyms | Idioms | Encyclopedia | Wikipedia encyclopedia | ? |
Pterygium |
Also found in: Dictionary/thesaurus, Medical, Wikipedia | 0.01 sec. |
|
|
pterygium [tə′rij·ē·əm]
(medicine) A triangular mass of mucous membrane growing on the conjunctiva, usually near the inner canthus. Overgrowth of the cuticle forward on the nail. (vertebrate zoology) A generalized vertebrate limb. Pterygium a disease of the conjunctiva of the eye in man and animals, characterized by formation of a conjunctival fold of the sclera that gradually grows on the surface of the cornea and becomes united with it. In man, pterygium is generally caused by prolonged exposure to strong wind, dust, or chemical irritants. The disease develops in the interpalpebral fissure, usually on the nasal side, in the form of a triangle whose base lies on the sclera. If the pterygium reaches the cornea’s optic zone, vision is reduced. The disease is treated surgically. Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us, add a link to this page, add the site to iGoogle, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content. |
|
| Encyclopedia |
| Free Tools: |
For surfers:
Free toolbar & extensions |
Word of the Day |
Help
For webmasters: Free content | Linking | Lookup box | Double-click lookup |
|---|