Preoperative and Postoperative Refractive and Topographic Evaluation in Patients With Primary Pterygium: Comparison of Two Surgical Techniques

Overview

This study evaluated changes in refractive status and corneal topography before and after surgical treatment of primary pterygium. Patients undergoing pterygium excision were treated with either conjunctival autograft or amniotic membrane transplantation. Visual acuity, refractive error, and corneal topographic parameters were assessed before surgery and after postoperative follow-up to compare the effectiveness of both surgical techniques in restoring corneal optics and improving visual outcomes.

Primary pterygium is a fibrovascular proliferation of the bulbar conjunctiva that extends onto the cornea and may induce significant refractive and topographic changes, resulting in visual impairment. Surgical excision is the treatment of choice for progressive lesions, with conjunctival autograft (CA) and amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) representing two widely used techniques. Patients underwent conjunctival autograft or amniotic membrane transplantation based solely on the treating surgeon's clinical judgment, independently of study participation. The study did not assign surgical interventions. Patients were prospectively followed to compare refractive and corneal topographic outcomes between the two naturally occurring treatment cohorts. The primary objective was to compare postoperative refractive and topographic changes between the two surgical techniques. Secondary objectives included evaluating changes in visual acuity, corneal curvature, refractive astigmatism, topographic astigmatism, and identifying clinical factors associated with postoperative outcomes.

Conditions

Interventions