Pseudopterygium Explained

Pseudopterygium
Causes:	Post inflammatory
Treatment:	Surgery

Pseudopterygium is the conjunctival adhesion to cornea caused by limbal or corneal inflammation or trauma. The pseudopterygium can be easily distinguished from pterygium by bowman's probe test.^[1] Because of the lack of adherence of pseudopterygium at every point, the probe can be passed beneath it at some point.

Causes

• Chemical burn^[2]
• Marginal corneal ulcer^[3]
• Cicatrizing conjunctivitis
• Trauma
• Surgery^[4]

Differential diagnosis

Difference between pterygium and pseudopterygium! ! Pterygium! Pseudopterygium

Etiology	Degenerative process	Inflammatory process
Age	Common in adults	Occur in any age
Site	Horizontally, most commonly nasally	Anywhere
Status	Progressive(commonly) or stationary	Always stationary
Neck	Adherent to limbus^[5]	Free
Probe test	Probe cannot be passed underneath	Probe can be passed under neck

Treatment

Pseudopterygium can be removed by surgical excision.^[6]

See also

• Symblepharon
• Pterygium

Notes and References

1. Prabhakar . Srinivasapuram Krishnachary . Safety profile and complications of autologous limbal conjunctival transplantation for primary pterygium . Saudi Journal of Ophthalmology . October 2014 . 28 . 4 . 262–267 . 10.1016/j.sjopt.2014.03.006 . 25473341 . 4250486 . 1319-4534. free .
2. Web site: Pseudopterygium Columbia Ophthalmology . www.columbiaeye.org.
3. Book: John F . Salmon . Kanski's clinical ophthalmology : a systematic approach . Elsevier . 978-0-7020-7711-1 . 198–199 . 9th . Conjunctiva. 13 December 2019 .
4. Web site: Volume 6, Chapter 35. Pterygium . www.oculist.net.
5. Book: Khurana . AK . Comprehensive ophthalmology . Jaypee Brothers . 978-93-5152-657-5 . 88 . 6th . Diseases of conjunctiva. 31 August 2015 .
6. Book: HV . Nema . Nithin . Nema . Textbook of ophthalmology . December 2008 . Jaypee Brothers . 978-81-8448-307-9 . 5th.