title: Effect of pterygium surgery on refractive spherocylinder power and corneal topography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of pterygium surgery on refractive spherocylinder power and corneal topography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four patients (27 eyes) undergoing pterygium surgery from January to December 2006 were retrospectively identified. Visual acuity, refractive spherocylinder power, and corneal topography were measured preoperatively and postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Improvement of visual acuity, decreases of refractive spherocylinder power, and significant differences of 3-mm topographic irregularity and 3-mm topographic astigmatism postoperatively were found. Differences of refractive spherocylinder power preoperatively and postoperatively correlated significantly with differences of 3-mm topographic irregularity (spherical, r = 0.828, P = .000; cylinder, r = -0.805, P= .000) and of 3-mm topographic astigmatism (spherical, r = 0.673, P= .000; cylinder, r = -0.811, P = .000) preoperatively and postoperatively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pterygium surgery produces improvements in visual acuity, decreases of refractive spherocylinder power, topographic irregularity, and topographic astigmatism. Three-millimeter topographic irregularity and astigmatism have a close correlation with refractive spherocylinder power.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chiayi, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pei-Lun
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Chien-Neng
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Kuo
authors.forename: Han-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Chien-Hsiung
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003315:Cornea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019781:Corneal Topography; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures; D011625:Pterygium / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012029:Refraction, Ocular / Q000502:physiology; D012030:Refractive Errors / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014792:Visual Acuity / Q000502:physiology