A Clinical Study of Pterygium and its Treatment by Limbal-Conjunctival Autografting

Background: Pterygium is a common clinical condition seen in tropical countries. The treatment of pterygium is mainly by surgery, but the main challenge for surgery is recurrence. Objective: This study was done to assess the efficacy of limbal-conjunctival autografting in preventing the recurrence rate following pterygium surgery. Materials and Methods: The study was done by analysing the case records of 50 patients who had undergone pterygium surgery by limbal-conjunctival grafting. The patients were followed up for 6 months post-operatively and any presence of fibrovascular tissue crossing the limbus in the post-operative period was taken as recurrence of pterygium. Results: Pterygium was most commonly seen in males and in those in the age group of 40–60 years. Nasal pterygium was more common than temporal pterygium. In our study, none of the patients showed recurrence at the end of 6 months. Conclusion: Treatment of pterygium by limbal-conjunctival grafting is a simple, safe and effective procedure with nil or minimal recurrence rate.