Eye Cysts?

Question

My husband (and my mother) both have what looks like blobs of yellowish jelly on the white part of thier eyes. Are these cysts? What causes them? Are they harmful?

Answer 1

I believe so, when I had one I had to go to the eye doctor and they...eww... popped it. They aren't harmful really, just gross.

Answer 2

That sounds like a pinguecula.  It is a is a benign, yellowish growth that forms on the conjunctiva (white part of the eye.)  They are caused by sun exposure.  The only problem that can be caused by them is irritation (if it gets thicker and irritates the eye) or if it begins to grow over the cornea (a pterygium).  You can do a search and see if that is what it looks like.