Ping WHAT?

Pinguecula –

Another reason to wear those sunglasses! This noncancerous growth or film like fatty deposit may impair vision (unlikely) and is a discoloration on the white part of the eye, usually to the inside of the cornea. I learned about this from my eye doctor as I noticed a slight discoloring in this area on both of my eyes. I was taken aback thinking it could be the start of cataracts. He said that it was really nothing, just like a callous. Of course, he said, “just a fatty deposit” and I heard FAT??!! Ha ha. But the condition can progress in rare circumstances and is then called pterygium. Removal of the pinguecula is usually only considered when the callous moves across the colored part of the eye. It is a little tricky to remove, according to the doctor that I see. I was concerned about my vision but at the same time I am quite distressed over the cosmetic effect. He did say that it is sometimes associated with natural aging and more often with sun and wind damage. It is seen more often in states with much sun. I LOVE the sun and have not been consistent with eye protection over my life. I do always wear my sunglasses now – running, cycling, walking, driving, shopping etc. My optometrist also told me to use eye drops each evening. Cool thing was that I DID start the eye drops when I noticed the discoloration. I thought, what the hell, worth a shot. It is nice to be intuitive from time to time. So please, protect your eyes from damage by wearing sunglasses and such. If you do a Google search for these terms you will find that there is not a clear cause and effect for the condition, but sun damage is strongly suspect.