Tear function and goblet cell density after pterygium excision.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the short-term effect of pterygium excision on tear function and conjunctival goblet cell density.


METHODS
In all, 70 patients (70 eyes) with primary pterygia who underwent a bare-sclera procedure were enrolled in this study. Tear break-up time, Schirmer, and tear-ferning tests and conjunctival goblet cell density obtained by impression cytology were evaluated before and 1 month after surgery.


RESULTS
At 1 month postoperation, the tear break-up time (11.49+/-3.76 s) was significantly prolonged when compared with the preoperation tear break-up time (9.74+/-3.43 s, P=0.002). Before surgery, only 17% of the patients showed normal crystallization in the tear-ferning test. This proportion was significantly increased to 90% 1 month after surgery (P<0.001). There is no significant difference in the Schirmer test value between pre- and postsurgery (P>0.05). The mean goblet cell density in conjunctival impression specimens before surgery was 41.82+/-18.29/10 fields, which was increased significantly 1 month after surgery (P<0.001) with a mean cell density of 50.67+/-18.71/10 fields.


CONCLUSIONS
Tear function in patients with primary pterygium improves after pterygium excision, which indicates that pterygium has a close relationship with dry eye.
Li
M
M
Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center and Ocular Surface Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, PR China.
Zhang
M
M
Lin
Y
Y
Xiao
Q
Q
Zhu
X
X
Song
S
S
Lin
J
J
Chen
J
J
Liu
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002452:Cell Count; D003228:Conjunctiva / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D020397:Goblet Cells / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011625:Pterygium / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology*