Cataract is a disease of the lens and pterygium is a disease of the conjunctiva, which can be differentiated by etiology, symptoms and treatment.
1. Etiology: cataract is a disease that occurs in the lens, the most common type is senile cataract, besides, other types are congenital cataract, traumatic cataract, metabolic cataract and so on. Pterygium is a disease that occurs in the conjunctiva and develops in both eyes.
2. Symptoms: Cataract is commonly characterized by clouding of the lens, decreased transparency, decreased visual acuity, refractive changes and other symptoms. Pterygium can cause vision loss, impede eye movement and other symptoms.
3 Treatment: Cataracts are mainly treated by surgery. For pterygium, if the pterygium is small and stationary, it can be observed first without special treatment. When the pterygium develops progressively and invades the pupil area, surgical treatment is needed.
Cataract and pterygium are completely different diseases, but in either case, timely medical examination is recommended.