Recurrent Pterygia With Cilia

Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: To report a series of patients with recurrent pterygia with cilia previously unreported. Methods: Clinical presentations of six patients (seven eyes) with recurrent pterygia and overlying cilia were reviewed. Slit–lamp photos were obtained. Results: A total of six patients were included in the study. Seven of these eyes were noted to have recurrent pterygium with overlying cilia. Mean age of the patients was 59 years, ranging from 46–70 years. All of the pterygia with cilia were nasal except in one eye with a temporal pterygium after childhood surgery. Three patients had bilateral pterygia but only one of these patients had overlying cilia bilaterally. Four of the patients had had their primary pterygium excision with amniotic membrane grafts by VVM. Histopathology evaluation of the tissue submitted was consistent with pterygium in these four cases. Conclusions: Recurrent pterygia may rarely have overlying cilia. In the nasal cases, the authors speculate that contiguous caruncular tissue which normally has cilia may be dragged by the residual base of the pterygium.

Keywords: Pterygium