الفهرس 
IntroductionOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 87 |  |  |
| | | from | 87 | | |
Abstract
Summary
Pterygium is described as an invasion of the bulbar conjunctiva onto the cornea with wing-shaped ocular surface lesion .
Histopathologically, pterygium is accompanied by Bowman’s layer degradation caused by a centripetally directed hyperplastic growth of modified limbal epithelial cells, transition of epithelial mesenchym, and fibroblastic stroma that is associated with inflammation, new blood vessels formation, and matrix remodeling, all of which are mediated through the combined actions of cytokines, growth factors, and matrix metalloproteinases .
Genetic factors, proinflammatory cytokines, and ultra-violet (UV) light are the most factors proposed to cause pterygium pathogenesis .
According to the pathogenesis of a pterygium, changes could even occur in the deeper layers of the cornea, like the Descemet membrane and endothelium.
In 2014 an evidence regarding the effect of pterygium on corneal endothelium was published suggesting that pterygium is related to a decrease in corneal endothelial cell density (ECD) .
The aim of this study was to assess the effects of pterygium on corneal ECD using specular microscope. This hospital-based comparative study was conducted to assess the effects of pterygium on corneal ECD using specular microscope. The study included 20 adults with unilateral pterygium and a good-quality endothelial cell count image assessed by noncontact specular microscopy. The contralateral eye of each patient served as a control, with total 40 eyes.
Compared with the contralateral eyes, this comparative study showed that pterygium was associated with a decrease in corneal ECD but with statistical insignificant difference.