To compare postoperative recurrence rates between conjunctival autograft transplantation alone and conjunctival autograft transplantation with amniotic membrane transplantation in primary pterygium surgery.

The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of 66 eyes from 62 patients who underwent primary pterygium surgery from January 2001 to May 2009. Twenty three eyes underwent conjunctival autograft transplantation alone, 43 eyes underwent conjunctival autograft transplantation with amniotic membrane transplantation.

Recurrence of pterygium was observed in 5 of 23 eyes that received conjunctival autograft transplantation alone. There were 2 cases of recurrence of 43 eyes that received conjunctival autograft transplantation and amniotic membrane transplantation. No major complications such as necrotizing scleritis, sclera ulcer, or corneal perforation were observed in either group after surgery.

The present study showed that receiving both conjunctival autograft transplantation and amniotic membrane transplantation in pterygium surgery has a lower recurrence rate than conjunctival autograft transplantation alone.