A Prospective Study of Pterygium Excision and Conjunctival Autograft With Human Fibrin Tissue Adhesive: Effects on Vision, Refraction, and Corneal Topography.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

This study aimed to investigate changes in visual acuity, corneal parameters, and topographic parameters after pterygium surgery.

DESIGN:

A prospective observational study was conducted.

METHODS:

Twenty eyes of 20 participants undergoing pterygium excision with conjunctival autograft secured using human fibrin tissue adhesive were included in the study. All the participants were assessed preoperatively and 1 and 3 months postoperatively. The parameters included subjective refraction, visual acuity, and pterygium size (pterygium horizontal corneal length [PHCL]) and corneal tomography by Pentacam rotating Scheimpflug tomographer (OCULUS Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany). The astigmatic changes were calculated using vector analysis.

RESULTS:

The mean age of participants was 49.3 ± 12.1 years. Mean PHCL was 2.68 ± 0.30 mm. The mean best corrected visual acuity preoperatively was 6/7.5, improving significantly to 6/6 at 1 month (P = 0.001) with this improvement remaining stable at 3 months postoperatively (P = 0.34). There was no significant change in subjective astigmatism, however, mean topographic astigmatism decreased significantly at 1 month (4.36 diopter, P < 0.01) and remained unchanged at 3 months (P < 0.01). Greater PHCL was associated with greater changes in corneal astigmatism.

CONCLUSIONS:

Significant improvements and early stabilization of visual acuity and topographic astigmatism confirm the optical benefits of pterygium excision. These data also suggest a significant advantage of performing pterygium before rather than simultaneously with or after cataract surgery by enabling the most accurate biometry.

• Authors: Stuti Misra, Jennifer P Craig, Charles N J McGhee, Dipika V Patel
• Journal: Asia-Pacific journal of ophthalmology (Philadelphia, Pa.) (Asia Pac J Ophthalmol (Phila)) 2014 Jul-Aug Vol. 3 Issue 4 Pg. 202-6 ISSN: 2162-0989 [Electronic] China
• PMID: 26107757 (Publication Type: Journal Article)