Ocular Discomfort in Pterygium Patients

Purpose. To evaluate the relationship between ocular discomfort and pterygium clinical characteristics. Methods. The Ocular Comfort Index test was self-completed by 25 men and 15 women (age [mean +/- SD], 43 +/- 11 years) with primary pterygium. Pterygium corneal area (PCA) and limbal perimeter, course and bilaterality of the lesion, visibility of episcleral vessels, conjunctival hyperemia, and exposure to dry or dusty environments were assessed. Spearman correlation and multiple linear regression were performed to evaluate the relationship between ocular discomfort and pterygium clinical characteristics. Results. Ocular discomfort was inversely correlated with PCA (Q = -0.447, p < 0.01) and directly correlated with the exposure to dry or dusty environments (Q = 0.324, p < 0.05). The other studied factors did not show any significant relationship with discomfort symptoms. The linear regression analysis identified PCA as the only factor that significantly influenced ocular discomfort (R = -0.404, p < 0.01). Conclusions. The findings confirm an inverse linear relationship between ocular discomfort and PCA, providing evidence of corneal sensitivity loss in these patients. (Optom Vis Sci 2013;90:269-274)