Evaluation of Ocular Surface Inflammation and Corneal Microstructural Changes in Pterygium Using in Vivo Confocal Microscopy: A Comparative Study of Surgical Techniques

PURPOSE: To evaluate ocular surface, corneal sensitivity, subbasal nerve morphology, and dendritic cells (DCs) density in eyes with pterygium using in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM), and to compare postoperative outcomes between amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) and conjunctival autografting (CAG). METHODS: This prospective study included 41 patients with unilateral primary pterygium. Baseline and first-month postoperative findings were evaluated. Eyes with pterygium were compared with fellow eyes regarding dry eye parameters, corneal sensitivity and IVCM findings. Postoperative changes in ocular surface parameters, subbasal nerves, and DCs were evaluated following AMT or CAG. RESULTS: > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Pterygium is associated with ocular surface inflammation and corneal microstructural alterations detectable by IVCM. Surgical treatment improves the health of the ocular surface, and both methods showed favorable anti-inflammatory results in a short follow-up period of one month; however, it would be more beneficial to evaluate this in conjunction with long-term outcomes. IVCM may serve as a valuable tool for assessing postoperative inflammatory changes in pterygium patients.