title: The impact of pterygium excision on corneal astigmatism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the corneal astigmatism before and after the excision of pterygium and also to determine the correlation of pterygium size with the postoperative corneal astigmatism.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional interventional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eye Department, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad, from May 2011 to March 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty patients underwent pterygium excision. Pre-operatively Snellen visual acuity, manifest refraction and slit lamp examination was done. The size of the pterygium was recorded in mm by projecting a horizontal slit lamp beam from the limbus to the apex. All the pterygium were equal to or greater than 2.5 mm. Keratometry was performed with an automated keratometer. Keratometric data was recorded pre-operatively and at 28 days postoperatively. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used for comparing the pre-operative and the postoperative corneal astigmatism. Spearman's rank order was calculated to observe correlation of pterygium size with the postoperative astigmatism.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median (mean rank) pre-operative astigmatism of 2.25 (15.50) reduced to a median (mean rank) postoperative astigmatism of 1.30 (14.96). This decrease in the postoperative astigmatism was statistically significant (p < 0.001). There was a statistically non-significant correlation between the postoperative astigmatism and the pterygium size (rs = -0.29, p = 0.12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pterygium excision caused significant reduction in corneal astigmatism.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Combined Military Hospital, Sargodha.
authors: Faisal Aziz
authors: FA
authors: Khan
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Rai Medical College, Sargodha.
authors: Shafaq Pervez
authors: SP
authors: Khan Niazi
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad.
authors: Dilshad Alam
authors: DA
authors: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D001251:Astigmatism / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003315:Cornea / Q000601:surgery*; D019781:Corneal Topography; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013508:Ophthalmologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D010154:Pakistan; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011625:Pterygium / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014787:Vision Tests; D014792:Visual Acuity