[Advantages of in vivo confocal microscopy for investigation of the pterygium].
OBJECTIVE
To describe the pterygium structure with a high-resolution in vivo confocal microscope and to show the typical components of active pterygium.


METHODS
In this study, 15 patients with 20 pterygia were examined. None of them had had prior pterygium surgery. Slit lamp examination and in vivo confocal microscopy imaging (Heidelberg Retina Tomograph II Rostock Cornea Module) were performed.


RESULTS
The images obtained consisted of two-dimensional high-resolution optical sections. We could identify the pterygial epithelium and its border, pterygial stroma and its vascularization, the pterygium corneal limits, and numerous inflammatory cells in active pterygia.


CONCLUSIONS
Many reports have been written about pterygium structure. In vivo confocal microscopy imaging is a new approach to this pathology and provides a precise evaluation of active pterygium.
Gheck
L
L
Service d'Ophtalmologie III, Centre Hospitalier National d'Ophtalmologie des Quinze-Vingts, Paris, France.
Dupas
B
B
Denion
E
E
Amar
N
N
Baudouin
C
C
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D011625:Pterygium / Q000473:pathology*