What Is a Conjunctival Cyst?

A conjunctival cyst is a fluid-filled sac or a solid or semi-solid mass that develops on your conjunctiva. The conjunctiva is a clear membrane in your eyes that has immunology properties. This membrane covers the whites of your eyes, the sclera, and also lines the insides of your eyelids. It has two main goals: to keep your eyes always greased with tears and mucus and to prevent microbes from entering into your eyes.

Don’t confuse a cyst that occurs on the conjunctiva with a chalazion cyst that requires specific chalazion removal or a stye that requires stye surgery. Because the symptoms are so similar, you need to seek a firm diagnosis from a trained, experienced ophthalmologist. The leading eye experts and best ophthalmologists at Vitreous Retina Macula Consultants of New York (VRMNY), eye surgery center have the tools and expertise to come to the correct diagnosis. With about 64 percent of Americans diagnosed with eye problems, don’t delay medical care when it comes to the health of your eyes.

What Causes a Conjunctival Cyst?

There are two ways that you can get a conjunctival cyst. Your eye doctor from NYC has to classify the type of cyst you have, which is only possible after a thorough eye examination. The two types are:

• You have a build-up of secretions in your eye, which causes a duct to be blocked.
• The top layer from the conjunctiva folds back into the connective tissue of the conjunctiva itself.

Conjunctival cysts are mostly benign masses that are classified as either primary or secondary. The primary conjunctival inclusion cyst is a rare form that’s present from birth. The mass usually increases in size and can eventually encroach on the cornea, leading to obstructed vision. Secondary conjunctival inclusion cysts require some form of catalyst, such as:

• Pinguecula, which forms a yellow-colored, raised growth on the conjunctiva made from the build-up of protein, fat or calcium
• Pterygium, which causes a growth that’s made up of blood vessels and fleshy tissue and can sometimes grow so big that it covers part of your cornea, leading to corneal disease that affects your vision
• Chronic keratoconjunctivitis, an allergic eye condition in which problems in the conjunctiva and the cornea cause itchiness and tearing that, under certain conditions, require blepharitis treatment in addition to the conjunctival cyst removal surgery
• Pyogenic granuloma, a common inflammatory condition that’s often seen in younger people
• Some corrective surgeries, such as those for strabismus or astigmatism
• Certain surgical procedures, including cataract surgery, enucleation or scleral buckle

What Are the Symptoms for a Conjunctival Cyst?

Small cysts usually are asymptomatic. If you do feel anything, it may be a mild irritation that may just require foreign body removal from your eye. Many people, however, only seek out treatment from an eye doctor if the cyst is in a location that affects their appearance.

Large cysts often keep growing, which leads to eye pain and discomfort. If the growth covers your cornea or the central part of your retina, you experience some vision loss. You may also feel that you can no longer control your eye movements or that there are limitations on how far your eyes can move. Other potential symptoms include:

• A burning in your eyes
• Proptosis, which causes your eye or eyes to bulge somewhat
• Itchiness, tearing and dryness in your eyes
• Blurry vision
• A refractive error that causes nearsightedness or farsightedness

How Is a Conjunctival Cyst Diagnosed?

Diagnosis usually starts with a discussion during your consultation with a top-rated ophthalmologist. Talk about your symptoms, when you first noticed the cyst and your eye health history. Also tell your doctor about any past eye surgeries you may have had, such as LASIK eye surgery or glaucoma surgery.

To get a clearer picture on how deep the cyst is seated, you may need to undergo some advanced diagnostic imaging tests available at VRMNY, such as:

• Ultrasound biomicroscopy
• Anterior segment optical coherence tomography

Sometimes, your eye doctor takes a specimen culture. The sample is tested for bacterial or fungal pathogens and known allergens. Additionally, a conjunctival injection or a bilateral conjunctival injection helps diagnose an infection or inflammation in the cyst.

What Treatment Works for Conjunctival Cysts?

In most cases, the cyst does eventually clear up on its own. Your eye doctor may recommend interventions to clear up the cyst, such as:

• Initiating a probe and irrigation method to open the tear ducts
• Providing you with steroid eye drops for the inflammation
• Doing a procedure to reduce the pressure inside your eye

Your NYC ophthalmologist may prefer cutting out the cyst completely to ensure it doesn’t return. Under local anesthetic, the doctor makes a small incision around the cyst, ensuring the cyst doesn’t break. The cyst is carefully removed and the affected blood vessels sealed.

No matter which treatment you undergo, you need to keep follow-up appointments with your eye doctor for a minimum of one year to ensure there’s no recurrence of the cyst. Routine checkups are the best way to discover a cyst and receive the best treatment before you lose your sight. To book an appointment, contact your nearest VRMNY ophthalmologist, with convenient locations in Westchester, Manhattan and Brooklyn.