Abstract
Purpose:
To evaluate the additive effect of dry eye therapy, specifically punctal plug placement and artificial tears in the relief of symptoms (pain, itching, foreign body sensation and tearing) and signs (redness and punctate epithelial keratitis) of pterygia in patients who are already being treated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drops.
Methods:
Twenty-two patients with pterygia were seen between May and October of 2014. They were asked to rate the level of discomfort in regards to the symptoms of pain, itching, foreign body sensation (FBS) and tearing. This was done on the first visit, after a week of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drops, and finally, after at least a week of either punctal plug placement or artificial tear therapy. The signs of redness and punctate epithelial keratitis (PEK) were also rated by the same physician on all visits. The result were then analyzed.
Results:
NSAID drops had no statistically significant effect on either the symptoms or signs studied. Adding dry eye therapy to the course of treatment significantly decreased the severity of the symptoms of FBS (p<.05), tearing (p<.05), PEK (p<.05), and the sign of redness (p<.05). Punctal plug placement decreased the level of discomfort with regards to itching (p<.05), FBS (p<.05), and tearing (p<.05) as well as redness and PEK (p<.05). Artificial tear therapy improved tearing (p<.05) and PEK (p<.05).
Conclusions:
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drops had no significant effect on either the symptoms or signs of pterygia. The addition of dry eye therapy relieved both the symptoms and signs of pterygia with punctal plug placement being more efficacious than artificial tear therapy.