OBJECTIVE: To evaluate associations between pterygium size parameters and corneal refractive properties and higher-order aberrations (HOAs). METHODS: In 41 patients with unilateral pterygium, thickness, length, and width were measured by anterior segment optical coherence tomography(AS-OCT). Corneal refractive parameters, irregularity indices, and HOAs were assessed using Pentacam HR. Correlation analyses evaluated relationships between pterygium dimensions and corneal parameters. RESULTS: Pterygium length and width significantly correlated with multiple corneal parameters in the 3-7 mm zone. Moderate correlations were found with K1 (length: |r| = 0.376-0.473; width: |r| = 0.361-0.415; all p < 0.05), and stronger correlations with corneal astigmatism (length: r = 0.582-0.642; width: r = 0.529-0.581; all p < 0.001) and irregularity indices (ISV, IVA, IHD) (length: r = 0.623-0.637; width: r = 0.566-0.596; all p < 0.001). Length positively correlated with total, third-, and fourth-order HOA RMS across the anterior and posterior surface, and entire cornea (r = 0.455-0.691, p < 0.05), primarily driven by vertical trefoil, vertical coma, and tetrafoil. Width also correlated with anterior and total corneal HOAs (r = 0.519 to 0.645, p < 0.05). Posterior surface correlations for width were weaker (r = 0.313 to 0.472, p < 0.05) but remained significant for total RMS, third-order RMS, and several specific aberrations. CONCLUSION: Pterygium length and width are key parameters associated with deteriorated corneal refractive status, irregularity, and HOAs. Width, being easily standardized, serves as a practical indicator for predicting pterygium-induced visual quality deterioration.
Shen et al. (Fri,) studied this question.