title: Pterygium after hyperopic laser-assisted sub-epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK).
abstract: A 61-year-old Caucasian woman with hyperopia presented for laser refractive surgery. She had healthy eyes with the exception of a less than 0.5 mm Salzmann's nodule at 5 o'clock near the limbus of the right eye. She underwent bilateral hyperopic laser-assisted sub-epithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) combined with removal of the Salzmann's nodule. At six months, she was emmetropic with unaided vision of 6/6; however, at 10 months, she noticed a reduction of acuity in her right eye and was found to have a pterygium at 5 o'clock, encroaching 3.5 mm onto the corneal surface. She underwent excision biopsy, local application of mitomycin-C (0.2 mg/ml for two minutes) and conjunctival auto-grafting. Following surgery for the pterygium, vision returned to 6/6 unaided but six months later, there was limited recurrence (1.5 mm) of the pterygium reducing unaided vision to 6/9, due to the induction of astigmatism of -1.25 dioptres. This has remained stable for 14 months. Pterygium growth may be associated with surface excimer laser surgery and the presence of peripheral Salzmann's nodules might be a risk factor.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, United Kingdom. davidobrart@aol.com
authors: David P S
authors: DP
authors: O'Brart
authors: Katherine
authors: K
authors: Williams
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D049008:Keratectomy, Subepithelial, Laser-Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011625:Pterygium / Q000209:etiology*