Pterygium: clinical classification and management in Virgin Islands

Three hundred (300) patients from the Caribbean area and Southeast United States were classified and evaluated for pterygium surgery. Each subject had the surgical excision performed by the same surgeon (ALA). Each was followed for a period of one year postoperatively while receiving topical vasoconstrictors and artificial tears only without steroids, thiotepa, or beta-irradiation. Attempts were made to predict the probability, incidence, and type of recurrence, in relation to specific risk factors identified in each individual preoperatively. Those subjects exposed to highest number risk factors seemed to correlate best with ptergia recurrence. Recurrences, which consisted of pterygium regrowths onto the cornea, were classified as active or passive. Nineteen recurrences occurred in this series, the majority being in the secondary group where more than five risk factors were present. Of 270 eyes classified as primary ptergia that were operated upon by wide excision and suture closure, there were 13 recurrences (5.0%).