Pterygium in lepromatous leprosy.

Pterygia from the eyes of three lepromatous leprosy patients were histopathologically studied. All of the specimens contained acid-fast bacilli (AFB) and exhibited features of chronic inflammation. In the etio-pathogenesis of the pterygium that occurs in leprosy patients, the chronic inflammation that is a feature of the disease, the involvement of the nerves within the pterygium, the increased exposure to sunlight, dust and wind (especially in patients having lagophthalmos), and the ostrasization by society that necessitates living predominantly outdoor lives, should be taken into account.