Light sensitivity after pyterigium surgery

I have surgery to remove a pyterigium two weeks ago and cannot keep my eye open due to light sensitivity.  Just visited my doctor and he shrugged his shoulders and said come back in 3 weeks.  Is this common?

[Sandra M Brown, MD]

If light sensitivity is your only symptom, and you do not have a gritty or sandy feeling in the eye, then this is an unusual event after pterygium surgery.  It may be due to a change in the optical focus of the eye, which can happen (temporarily) after pterygium surgery.  Conversely, if your eye does feel scratchy or gritty then the cornea is rough in the area of the surgery, which can cause light sensitivity and difficulty keeping the eye open.  Your doctor should be able to identify this roughness on examination.