meliny

Your optometrist was right (shame on your doctor for calling the opto stupid). I'm 99.9% positive you have pingueculae - search the net and you'll find thousands of references. They are indeed caused by dryness and sun damage, and are very common. The redness is due to inflammation. I have them in both eyes, but only the left was inflamed at one point. My optometrist suggested preservative-free moisture drops, lots of water, and a tablespoon of flax oil everyday. This brought the inflammation down in 4-5 days. 6 months later, it became inflamed again and stayed this way for two weeks. I got worried and went back to the opto; he gave me a prescription for mild steriod drops that nixed the redness with the first dose (didn't even have to take the full 3 day treatment). Good luck!

For your info, here's a brief description:
A pinguecula (pin gwe' cue la) is a benign, whitish or yellowish growth that forms on the conjunctiva. They usually grow near the cornea on the nasal side. Pingueculae (plural form of pinguecula) are thought to be caused by ultraviolet light and are most common among people who spend a great deal of time outdoors. This growth does not affect vision, but may cause irritation if it becomes elevated.

Signs and Symptoms
Pingueculae are harmless growths and rarely cause symptoms, just a yellowish, raised area on the conjunctiva. Sometimes there is irritation and scratchiness, dry eye, occasional inflammation of the conjunctiva and redness if the area becomes irritated.

Detection and Diagnosis
Pingueculae can often be seen with the naked eye; however, the doctor diagnoses the growth with a careful examination with a slit lamp microscope.

Treatment
Because of their benign nature, pingueculae rarely require treatment. Occasionally, the growth may become inflamed, causing irritation and dryness. The doctor may prescribe artificial tears for lubrication and mild anti-inflammatory medication to reduce swelling.