Pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant: but on which eye?

PURPOSE: To assess the cosmetic result after pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant.

METHODS

A web-based program was used by graders to select from a series of pairs of photographic images which eye of each pair had had pterygium surgery and which eye had the better appearance. A total of 395 pairs of eyes in which 1 eye had had pterygium surgery with the opposite eye acting as the control were assessed. Graders were asked the question "which eye has had surgery?" in sections 1 and 2, and then asked which "was the better looking eye?" for each pair, first at real-life size and then with magnified images in sections 3 and 4. Analysis was undertaken on the correlation of the selection of the eye that was thought to have had surgery with the eye that had actually had the surgery, and correlation between the eyes selected for the better appearance with the eyes that had had surgery.

RESULTS

Thirteen graders completed the study and most graders correctly selected the operative eye in fewer than 50% of the pairs of eyes in sections 1 and 2. In addition, the operated eye was selected as the "better looking eye" in almost 40% of the pairs of eyes in sections 3 and 4.

CONCLUSIONS

Pterygium extended removal followed by extended conjunctival transplant results in an appearance that is indistinguishable from a normal eye.