A comparative study of visual acuity before and after pterygium excision by conjunctival autotransplantation techniques

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the visual acuity and corneal astigmatismus preoperatively and after the excision of pterigia by conjunctival auto transplantation techniques. Material and methods: 120 patients were divided in two groups of 60 patients depending of the used surgical methods. A group of 60 patients (group No.1) treated by the technique of pterygium excision with the conjunctival auto graft transplantation with graft from the inferior temporal bulbar conjunctivae (ITBC) and a group of 60 patients (group No.2) treated by the technique of pterygium excision with the conjunctival auto transplantation with graft from the superior temporal bulbar conjunctivae (STBC). The both groups were subdivided on two groups, a group of 30 patients with stationery pterygium and 30 patients with progressive pterygium. Preoperatively and postoperatively, all patients were assessed for visual acuity, anterior and posterior segments, autorefraction, and autokeratometry. Results: In 76,6% of the patients from the group No.1 and in 60% of the patients from the group No.2 with stationary pterygium the postoperative visual acuity was significantly better with no statistical significant difference between the groups (p=0,1724). In 86,6% of the patients from the group No.1 and in 63,3 % of the patients from the group No.2 with progressive pterygium, the postoperative visual acuity was significantly better with no statistical significant difference between the groups (p=0,1417). Conclusion: Pterygium excision with conjunctival auto transplantation procedures (STBC and ITBC) results in significant reduction in astigmatism which leads to improvement in visual acuity.