The Effect of Bandage Corneal Contact Lenses after Pterygium Surgery

Abstract

Objective: To study the effect of bandage corneal contact lenses after pterygium surgery. Methods: This was a case-control study. Patients with an excised pterygium combined with autologous corneal limbal stem cell transplantation were selected at Tiantai People's Hospital of Zhejiang Province between February and June 2017. Patients were divided into two groups based on postoperative treatment: Experimental group was treated with autologous corneal limbal stem cell transplants combined with bandage corneal contact lenses, control group had routine treatment by covering the eyes after autologous limbal stem cell transplantation. There were 20 patients (20 eyes) in each group. After the operation, corneal irritation symptoms and healing time for the corneal epithelium were observed in the two groups. The data were compared using a t test, and a rank sum test. Results: The pain scores of the patients in the experimental group were significantly lower than the pain scores in the control group, and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant (2 hours postoperative: Z=-3.986, P<0.001; 1 day postoperative: Z=-3.153, P=0.002; 2 days postoperative: Z=-3.216, P=0.001; 3 days postoperative: Z=-2.377, P=0.017; 5 days postoperative: Z=-2.333, P=0.020). The recovery time for the corneal epithelium stained with fluorescein after surgery was clearly shortened in the experimental group, and the difference was statistically significant (Z=-3.714, P<0.001). No infection, recurrence, poor implant healing, subconjunctival cyst or other complications occurred after 2 to 6 months of follow-up. Conclusions: The application of bandage corneal contact lenses after pterygium surgery can relieve pain and irritation symptoms in patients, promote postoperative recovery, reduce the postoperative recurrence rate and improve postoperative quality of life. Key words: pterygium; bandage corneal contact lenses; comforting level