Dr.Rawat Rashmi

Abstract

Ocular surface inflammation and cytological changes associated with pterygium is thought to contribute to the symptoms of irritation, mucoid discharge, and dryness often experienced by patients with pterygium A cross-sectional observational study was done on fifty patients with unilateral pterygium. The patients were examined for dry eye and ocular surface morphology by impression cytology. The other normal eye was taken as control. Both the eyes of patients were subjected to slit-lamp examination, OSDI score, TBUT, Schirmer’s I test, Rose Bengal stain, and impression cytology Eyes with pterygium had a significant difference in means of TBUT, Schirmers, vital staining, and OSDI scores from controls. Abnormal impression cytology results were evident in 68 % of eyes with pterygium and 28 % of control eyes (p<0.001). Conjunctival squamous metaplasia was seen in 30% of cases and 2% of controls (p<0.001). Pterygium is an ocular surface disorder with dry eye manifestation.