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Eye check-up and spectacles for patients from Vengurla: pterygium, polarised glasses and sea water

On the Vengurla coast, eyes face the sea every day: glare off the water, salt wind on the boats and long hours at the harbour, on the beach or in the orchards. This page answers the questions sea workers ask most, and explains how to plan an eye check-up and spectacles from Vengurla. ReNew Vision Eye Hospital is in Vasco, Goa, not in Vengurla: 2nd floor, Pai Hospital building, Vaddem Merces Road, Vaddem, Vasco da Gama.

Pterygium: the growth fishermen know well

A pterygium is a wedge of pink, fleshy tissue that grows from the white of the eye, usually on the nose side, towards the cornea. It is linked with years of sunlight, wind and dust. It can make the eye red, gritty and watery, and if it creeps over the centre of the cornea it can blur vision or change the spectacle power.

• A small pterygium is usually watched and the eye protected from sun and wind.
• Surgery is considered when it grows towards the centre, affects vision or stays irritated; pterygium surgery is done at ReNew Vision when the eye doctor advises it.
• A pterygium can grow back after removal, so the eye doctor explains how the surgery is done and the care afterwards, and protection from sun matters even more.

UV400 or polarised: which sunglasses?

They do different jobs, and a good pair for the sea does both.

• UV400 means the lens blocks ultraviolet light, the part linked with pterygium and cataract. A dark lens without it can be worse than none, because the pupil opens wider behind it.
• Polarised lenses cut the flat glare reflected off water and wet sand, so you see into the water more clearly and squint less.
• Wrap-around frames stop light and wind coming in from the sides, and a strap keeps them on in a swell.

If you wear spectacles, power sunglasses can combine all three. See power sunglasses in Goa.

Contact lenses and sea water do not mix

Sea, river, well and tap water can carry tiny organisms that cling to contact lenses and cause a rare but very serious infection of the cornea. Never swim, dive or wash your face with lenses in, never rinse them or their case in water, and remove them if the eye becomes red or painful, then get it checked the same day. Read glasses or contact lenses if you are deciding.

What the check-up includes

The vision and spectacle power test, the eye pressure, and an examination of the front of the eye, where pterygium is seen, and of the lens and retina, often after drops that widen the pupils. More on the complete eye check-up.

Getting there from Vengurla

By car, about 88 km: the coastal road through Mochemad and Shiroda, inland to the Satarda border, then NH 66 through Pernem, Mapusa and Panjim, over the new Zuari bridge to Cortalim and along the Vasco road (NH 366). Allow two to two and a half hours. ST buses run to Sawantwadi, with onward buses to Mapusa and Panjim and KTC shuttles to Vasco; Konkan Railway trains run from Kudal and Sawantwadi Road to Madgaon. We can collect you from your home and drop you back, at zero cost to the patient. Call 072489 88039, and see coming from another town.

Planning the day

• The Eye OPD runs Monday to Saturday, 4 pm to 7 pm, Friday included; Sunday OPD is closed.
• Leave Vengurla by about 1:30 pm. The monsoon fishing ban, when boats are ashore, can be a good time for a check-up.
• After dilating drops, do not drive or ride; the long drive home is after dark.
• Bring your spectacles, sunglasses and old prescriptions, and ask when new spectacles will be ready.

Questions patients ask

Does every pterygium need surgery?

No. Small ones are usually watched and the eye protected from sun and wind. Surgery is considered when it grows towards the centre of the eye, affects vision or stays irritated. The eye doctor advises after examining you.

What is the difference between UV400 and polarised sunglasses?

UV400 blocks ultraviolet light, which is linked with pterygium and cataract. Polarised lenses cut glare reflected off water. For the sea, a wrap-around pair with both is ideal.

Can I swim with contact lenses in?

No. Sea and tap water can carry organisms that cause a rare but serious corneal infection. Remove lenses before swimming, and never rinse them in water.

How do I reach ReNew Vision from Vengurla?

By car, about 88 km via Shiroda, Satarda, Pernem, Mapusa and Panjim, roughly two to two and a half hours. By public transport, change at Sawantwadi and Panjim, or take a train to Madgaon.

Is ReNew Vision in Vengurla?

No. ReNew Vision Eye Hospital is only in Vaddem, Vasco da Gama, Goa, about 88 km from Vengurla.

This page is general eye-health information, not personal medical advice. Your eye doctor advises you after examining your eyes.