123 free pterygium surgeries performed on 103 patients in Quintana Roo
People from five municipalities had the procedure at no cost, plus glasses and drops; the state offered follow-up for a second eye or cataracts.
A total of 103 patients from five municipalities in Quintana Roo underwent free pterygium surgery —a growth that spreads over the surface of the eye— as part of a state-coordinated eye-health surgical drive. The post-surgical evaluation was supervised by Governor Mara Lezama at Cancún's "Jesús Kumate Rodríguez" General Hospital.
The beneficiaries —55 women and 48 men— come from Isla Mujeres, Benito Juárez, Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Lázaro Cárdenas and Playa del Carmen. Altogether 123 surgeries were performed, 20 of them bilateral, on July 20, 21 and 22 at the Isla Mujeres Integral Hospital. Before the operation, patients received glasses and eye drops, and the state authority said that those who need surgery on their other eye or a cataract procedure will also receive the service.
The drive was carried out with the state Health Secretariat, the Public Charity office, the Quintana Roo DIF System and IMSS-Bienestar.
What pterygium is and why it's common here. It is tissue that grows from the white of the eye toward the cornea, linked to prolonged exposure to sun, wind, dust and dryness. In a coastal, high-solar-radiation region like the Mexican Caribbean, those who work outdoors —in construction, fishing or tourism— face higher risk. Left untreated, it can cause irritation, redness and, in advanced cases, affect vision.
How to access these programs. Free surgeries are usually announced through health drives; if you or a relative need an evaluation, visit your nearest health center or the state DIF offices to ask about eye-health brigades and enrollment requirements. As prevention, specialists recommend wearing UV-filter lenses and sunglasses when working or spending time outdoors, and keeping the eyes hydrated in dusty or windy conditions.
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