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Study shows link between pterygium and higher-order aberrations
Cornea. 2010;29(11):1232-1235.
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Pterygium exerted a significant impact on higher-order aberrations, particularly total coma and trefoil, a study found.
"Our knowledge of influence of pterygium on ocular aberrations is limited," the study authors said. "The aim of this study was to explore changes in ocular higher-order aberrations in the eyes with pterygium and to compare it with the normal fellow eyes."
The prospective study included 62 eyes of 31 patients with unilateral pterygium. Mean patient age was 42.5 years. The Nidek OPD-Scan was used to perform wavefront aberrometry in both eyes. Investigators compared aberrometric parameters between eyes.
Patients with previous ocular surgery, ocular pathology unrelated to pterygium in the study eye, abnormalities in the normal fellow eye and age older than 50 years were excluded from the study. Patients with large pterygium in the 5-mm central optical zone were also excluded.
Study results showed root mean square of total higher-order aberrations of 1.85 µm in pterygium-involved eyes and 0.36 µm in normal eyes; the between-group difference was statistically significant (P = .001).
Total trefoil was 1.37 µm in pterygium-affected eyes and 0.25 µm in normal eyes. Total coma was 0.37 µm in pterygium-involved eyes and 0.14 µm in healthy eyes (P = .0001).
Mean spherical aberration was 0.18 µm in eyes with pterygium and 0.10 µm in healthy eyes.