Evaluation of Dry Eye in Eyes with Unilateral Pterygium

PURPOSE: To determine if eyes with unilateral pterygium are more likely to suffer from dry eye symptoms and more prone to have abnormalities in dry eye parameters than healthy eyes


METHODS: Forty eyes of 20 patients were enrolled. The eyes that were diagnosed as having pterygium were considered as Group 1 and other healthy eyes of the same patients were defined as Group 2. The existence of dry eye was tested with tear film break-up time, Schirmer-1 test, Oxford scale and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) score assessments.


RESULTS: Median tear film break up-time measurement and Schirmer 1 value were lower in Group 1 however no statistically significant difference was detected (p=0.06, p=0.308 respectively). Median OSDI score and median Oxford scale score were higher in Group 1 however no statistically significant difference was detected (p=0.05, p=0.250, respectively).

CONCLUSION: Between eyes with pterygium and healthy ones, there were difference in dry eye test results. These results may show that there might be a relationship between pterygium and dry eye disease regardless of the genetic background and environmental factors.