RELATION OF TEAR FILM FUNCTION WITH MONOCULAR PTERYGIUM

Background: Pterygium appears as triangular fold of vascularized conjunctiva and can spread to the corneal limbus and beyond. Generally, it is asymptomatic but may cause dry eye symptoms such as redness, irritation, and blurred vision resulting from alteration of tear film function.

Objective:To find out the relation of the pre-corneal tear film function in eye with pterygium.

Methods: This study was taken place in the department of cornea at Ispahani Islamia Eye Institute and Hospital, Bangladesh during the period of September, 2022 to February, 2023. Fifty patients with unilateral pterygium were included in this study. Tear film break up time and Schirmer test with anesthesia were performed in both eyes of patients. Tear film breakup time of less than 10 seconds and wetting length of filter strip of Schirmer test of less than 6 mm were considered abnormal (Essentials of Ophthalmology. Samar K. Basak.) Test results were compared between eyes with pterygium and contralateral normal eyes. SPSS was used for statistical significance where P value was     set at less than 0.05.