title: [Effect of pterygium operation on preoperative astigmatism. Prospective study].
abstract: High-grade corneal astigmatism is considered to be an indication for pterygium surgery. However, no prospective studies have been carried out to determine whether a pterygium operation really reduces preoperative astigmatism. Therefore, we prospectively examined 23 patients who were operated on for pterygia at the University Eye Clinic in Freiburg in 1991. Pre- and postoperative corneal astigmatism was measured by ophthalmometry or retinoscopy. Preoperative astigmatism after pterygium surgery was reduced or unaltered in 19 patients. In 4 patients, the postoperative astigmatism was increased. The mean preoperative astigmatism was 2.41 D in the horizontal meridian, the postoperative astigmatism 1.29 D. The reduction was statistically significant (P < 0.0001, Wilcoxon test). The higher the preoperative astigmatism, the higher the difference between pre- and postoperative astigmatism (r2 = 0.88, P = 0.0001). Our technique of pterygium surgery (free conjunctival transplant after polishing the cornea, limbus, and sclera) reduces preoperative astigmatism. Thus, high-grade astigmatism can be regarded as an indication for pterygium surgery.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Augenklinik Freiburg.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Soriano
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Janknecht
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Witschel
mesh_terms: D001251:Astigmatism / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000637:transplantation; D006801:Humans; D009884:Ophthalmodynamometry; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011625:Pterygium / Q000601:surgery*; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology
vernacular_title: Einfluss der Pterygiumoperation auf den präoperativen Astigmatismus. Eine prospektive Studie.