Dear Rene,

      I agree why is pterygium so common in this group.  I assumed it was a result of UV =outdoor light exposure and irritation from dust, chemicals, pollution.   Maybe we need to contact a group that would support a research study of this.  The Lions Club is a good national group that supports Vision issues.  The state public health department, epidemiology branch or the CDC epidemiology branch might want to study this as well.

I studied in medical school with an ophthalmoogist who was into public health and studied Trachoma among other epidemic eye diseases.

     If you aware of any good epdmiological studies on this subject (whether done with Spanish speaking persons or not), please send me your info.

     Thanks.

                                                                                          Mark Lessner, M.D.

 

P.S.:  I am sure you can find numerous peer-reviewed studies that confirm that health care in the US is for the "Haves" and the "Have-nots" get the left overs if they are lucky.  Now, even the 'Haves" are now finding it difficult to afford routine medical care and companies like Ford and GM are talking about national health insurance.  If we do get National health Insurance, how fair will it be?  Not very fair if there is not some agreement that many people have been left out of health care for years and need extra help.  Back fifty years or more ago, African Americans were generally considered lazy----in fact many were sick with pellagra and severe hookworm disease and had no energy to work.  They were stigmatized as lazy when in fact they were sick.  Unfortunately there is still pellagra and hookworm disease in some parts of the rural south.