Pterygium And Abnormal Tear Function

Purpose To investigate and explain the correlation between pterygium and abnormal tear function.Methods 36 cases with primary pterygium in our hospital from July,2003 to February,2004 were included.All of them had pterygium in one eye.The pterygium eyes was considered as case group and the other eyes as normal control.Shirmer I test,BUT and impression cytology were done in both group alternatively and the difference between groups were compared.On the other hand, 19 cases of pterygium tissures and 5 normal body conjunctivae were alternatively stained by hematoxylin and eosin and histochemical MUC5AC.The histopathology and MUC5AC expression were compared between two groups.Results The difference between groups in Shirmer 1 test were minimal(p>0.05).BUT were shorter in case group than those in control group(p<0.05).Impression cytology showed the case group had higher grade of squamous metaplasia than the control group(p<0.05).The case group were mainly grade 1 and 2,together with less cells and more mucin got.BUT was correlated with the grade of squamous metaplasia. Hematoxylin and eosin stain showed pterygium was a disease mainly with proliferation.MUCSAC was expressed more highly in pterygium,mainly in the cytoplasm of epithelial goblet cells. BUT was correlated with the grade of the grade of MUC5AC stain.Conclusion Tear function were abnormal in pterygium eyes.BUT were shorter inpterygium eyes.Squamous metaplasia were seen in the epithelia of pterygium. Proliferationwere seen in pterygium.MUCSAC were expressed more highly in pterygium. BUT wascorrelated with the grade of squamous metaplasia and MUC5AC stain.