title: Clinical application of Er:YAG laser for the treatment of pterygium.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical application of Er:YAG laser for the treatment of pterygium.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five patients (5 eyes) with pterygium, 2 primary cases and 3 retreatment cases, whose ages ranged from 44 to 68 years (mean 54.4 years), were treated with the Er:YAG laser. The optical system consisted of a fluorozirco-aluminate glass fiber and a handpiece tip made of quartz glass. The tip of the guiding probe was applied to the surface of the pterygium, where the laser beam was emitted. The radiant energy was set at 10 mJ with water spray.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The removal of pterygium was accomplished under topical anesthesia with a laser output approximate range from 50 to 100 shots. Complications such as corneal erosion or thinning of the sclera were not observed. However, recurrence was seen in the 3 retreatment cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Er:YAG laser system may be a clinically useful tool as a laser surgical knife for ocular tissue.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Tokyo Dental College, Chiba, Japan. QYJ15752@nifty.ne.jp
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bissen-Miyajima
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shimmura
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tsubota
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D003315:Cornea / Q000166:cytology; D004867:Equipment Design; D004869:Equipment Safety; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011625:Pterygium / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011817:Rabbits; D012008:Recurrence; D012590:Sclera / Q000166:cytology